Before the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas Men’s head coach Tim Cone promised fans a highly-motivated and rejuvenated Justin Brownlee – and the decorated forward delivered.
Brownlee entered the qualifiers with a fire lit by recent disappointment, as he and Ginebra fell short of dethroning TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, losing in six games.
That setback proved to be all the motivation Brownlee needed.
Teaming up with Kai Sotto, he led the Philippines to a historic 93-89 victory over New Zealand on Wednesday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The win marked Gilas’ first-ever triumph against the Tall Blacks, keeping their record unblemished in the qualifiers.
The 36-year-old forward was instrumental in the breakthrough, finishing with 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting, along with four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks.
His all-around performance moved the Philippines closer to securing an outright ticket to next year’s Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia.
“Anytime you lose in basketball or anything you do, you always want to try to bounce back and be better,” said Brownlee.
“Of course, playing in the PBA Finals, we lost and I learned a lot. But it definitely feels good to come here and get a win over New Zealand.”
The energy of the Philippine fans – who cheered relentlessly for Gilas throughout the intense 40-minute battle – gave Brownlee and the team an added boost.
His teammates and coaching staff also provided crucial support, helping the veteran forward deliver in crunch time. Together, the team snapped the Philippines’ four-game losing streak against New Zealand in FIBA-sanctioned events – a drought that started in 2016.
“I’m just happy for the team, happy for the country. Have we ever beaten New Zealand? It feels great. Coach Tim came in with a great game plan for us, we’ve been in the training camp for the last couple of days,” said Brownlee.
“Gotta give a lot of credit to New Zealand, they always come and play hard and physical. Give a lot of credit to them, but I’m just super proud of my guys, the team, the whole coaching staff, and the Philippines.”
The victory was especially sweet given the history between the two teams. Before this game, Gilas had suffered four lopsided losses to the Tall Blacks in international play, with an average losing margin of 24.3 points.
“I love it, man. They always show great support. I’m just happy for the whole Philippines and everybody who’s watching the games and following us ever since.”
