A gallant stand by Philippines was not enough as it absorbed its first loss in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers on Thursday night, falling 69-66 to New Zealand at SM Mall of Asia arena in Thursday's second-window encounter.
It was the 7th victory of the Tall Blacks over Gilas Pilipinas in eight matchups, and a third straight triumph after a breakthrough victory by Gilas in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in 2024.
Max Darling led New Zealand's balanced attack with 11 points and Sam Mennegga and Alex McNaught chipped in with ten points each. With their first win in the qualifiers, the Tall Blacks move to a 1-2 record -- good for solo third in Group A.
Dwight Ramos was the Philippines' top scorer with 16 points, while surprise starter CJ Perez contributed 15 points, ten of which coming in the first quarter. Returning guard Juan Gomez de Liaño added ten points of his own.
The loss sends Gilas to a 2-1 record, which is still good for second spot in Group A.
Next up for Philippines is group leader Australia, which will visit the country for the first time since the infamous 2018 brawl during the 2019 World Cup qualifiers, which will also be at Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.
Here's what transpired during a hard-fought game that gave Gilas its first loss of the qualifiers.
CJ Perez's scoring pop within the triangle
With Tim Cone leaning heavily on structure and reads in the triangle, Perez has often been cast as an energy spark off the bench. Against New Zealand, however, he was inserted into the starting unit -- and immediately tilted the floor.
The San Miguel Beermen guard scored Gilas' first ten points, all coming off pure downhill pressure.
Instead of over-dribbling, he attacked gaps out of the pinch post and weak-side actions, generating paint touches that forced early rotations. Once the defense collapsed, he punished them with straight-line drives and controlled step-backs.
Just as important, he kept it simple with zero turnovers -- finishing with 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. In a system that values spacing, timing, and decisiveness, Perez provided scoring variation without disrupting the triangle's rhythm.
Scottie Thompson's impact beyond the box score
If you only glanced at the stat sheet, Thompson's one-point outing would look underwhelming. But within the triangle, where reads and reactions matter as much as scoring, his fingerprints were everywhere.
He consistently made the extra pass to trigger secondary actions, crashed for two offensive rebounds to extend possessions, and delivered three timely assists that settled Gilas into their half-court flow. Defensively, he kept the ball in front and rotated early to cut off driving lanes.
The +13 in just 12 minutes reflects the subtle value he brings -- pace control, positional awareness, and connective play that keeps the offense humming even without shot attempts.
Fajardo and 'QMB' getting attacked in ball screens
The defensive chess match centered on how June Mar Fajardo and Quentin Millora-Brown handled ball screens.
With Gilas primarily in drop coverage, the Tall Blacks' guards found pockets for pull-up jumpers. Even on an off shooting night, those windows were enough to test the bigs' mobility and timing.
Drop coverage protects the paint, but it demands elite point-of-attack defense to avoid conceding rhythm shots.
Against Australia, that margin shrinks further. Shooters like Tanner Krebs and Elijah Pepper thrive on space off the dribble or behind ball reversals. If Fajardo and Millora-Brown remain in the paint, perimeter defenders must chase over screens and stay attached - otherwise the Boomers will turn those same midrange openings into a barrage from deep
Can Justin Brownlee get his rhythm against the Boomers?
For perhaps the first time in a while, Justin Brownlee struggled to impose himself offensively, finishing with just four points on 20% shooting. New Zealand sent early help and occasional traps, crowding his post touches and forcing the ball out of his hands.
To his credit, those doubles created advantages elsewhere, but Gilas still needs Brownlee's individual shot-making.
Within the triangle, his post isolations, mid-post fadeaways, and pull-up jumpers are pressure valves when sets stall. Against Australia, his ability to score one-on-one in late-clock situations could determine whether Gilas stays competitive.
If he regains rhythm within the flow of the offense, it not only balances the floor but also prevents the Boomers from loading up defensively and forcing back-to-back setbacks.