Joseph Sedurifa’s clutch two-pointer sealed a thrilling 21-19 victory over Malaysia as Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 stamped its ticket to the semifinals of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The win capped off a perfect 2-0 outing for the Filipino squad on Day 1 of the men’s 3×3 tournament.
The Nationals opened their title reclamation campaign with a 21-15 win over Vietnam earlier in the day.
Before Sedurifa’s heroics, Ange Kouame and presumptive UAAP Season 88 MVP Janrey Pasaol turned a 16-17 deficit into a 19-17 lead with 1:47 remaining, setting the stage for the game-winning shot.
Malaysia threatened with a two-pointer of their own, but Sedurifa responded with composure, delivering the decisive basket that ensured Gilas’ flawless pool run.
Trailing 10-13 early against Vietnam, Kouame sparked a 6-0 run with five points that gave the Philippines a 16-13 advantage with just 50 seconds left.
Malaysia narrowed the gap, but Pasaol hit two crucial free throws, followed by Sedurifa’s perfect outing from the charity stripe, to secure Gilas’ first victory of the day.
With its 2-0 record, Gilas, who will still face Laos on Thursday morning, clinched the No. 1 seed in Pool B for the knockout semifinals, which begin tomorrow afternoon.
The Philippines will next face the second seed from Pool A, which includes Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, and host team Thailand.
