Gilas Pilipinas ace Dwight Ramos lauded the Filipino crowd that has been filling the seats at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, despite the Philippines opening the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 with back-to-back losses.
Although Gilas’ comeback from an 18-point deficit against New Zealand ultimately fell short, Ramos believes that the fight they showed would not have been possible without the unwavering love and support from the Filipino fans.
“The crowd definitely plays a big part, especially when we’re making a run,” said Ramos, who tallied 19 points, four rebounds, and three steals in Gilas’ 94-86 loss to the Tall Blacks early Friday morning (Philippine time).
The 26-year-old guard from Japan B.League’s Levanga Hokkaido fed off the energy from the Filipino supporters. He teamed up with naturalized player Justin Brownlee to ignite a third-quarter rally that trimmed New Zealand’s lead to 74-68 heading into the final frame.
However, the momentum from the roaring crowd could only carry them so far. Timely baskets from Taylor Britt, coupled with costly turnovers and defensive lapses by the Philippines in the closing minutes, sealed Gilas’ fate.
Ramos knows the Filipino crowd will be there until their final Asia Cup game and called on them to continue showing their support as the team braces for a must-win showdown against Iraq tomorrow at 4:00 PM (Philippine time) to keep their continental hopes alive.
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“It feels like the arena is about to explode because it’s filled with Filipinos. Shoutout to them and they’re part of the reason that we came back and will keep fighting,” Ramos said.
“In the second half, we were playing the way we’re supposed to, and I’m just hoping we carry this momentum to the next game,” he added.
That energy will be vital in lifting a dejected Gilas side, particularly head coach Tim Cone, who was left stunned after another setback made their path to ending a 40-year Asia Cup title drought even steeper.
If the Philippines overcomes Iraq, they will face the second-seeded team from Group C — a spot currently within reach for host nation Saudi Arabia after pulling off a stunning upset over perennial contender Jordan earlier today.
Advancing past the qualification phase would then set up a clash with the top team in Group A, a pool featuring two-time defending champion Australia, Lebanon, Qatar, and South Korea.
“We’re disappointed that we lost two in a row. We didn’t see that coming. We’re disappointed, but the tournament is not over for us. We have a big game against Iraq to get to the next round,” said Cone, the long-time Barangay Ginebra tactician.
“We just need to keep battling, keep our heads going forward, and don’t sink because of the last two losses. There’s a lot to do and we will be ready for the next game,” he added.
