EDDAH – Kevin Quiambao finally drew out a thorn stuck within for years after Gilas Pilipinas advanced to the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Quarter-Finals.
He and the Filipino dribblers made it to the final eight by showing Saudi Arabia the door. And along the way, the young winger found redemption after the debacle that was the 2022 edition of the continental tilt in Indonesia.
“Well, 2022 is already in the past. But there remains a tinge of bitterness from that,” he told FIBA after their 95-88 overtime victory against the host nation at the King Abdullah Sports City, which had 5,000-plus fans in attendance.
“But I used that as a motivation for myself coming into this game, and coming into this tournament,” the two-time UAAP MVP with La Salle added.
Quiambao was part of the Gilas team that competed in Jakarta three years ago. They were a win away from the quarterfinals, only to get blown out by Yuta Watanabe and Japan, 102-81.
Gilas notched only one win in the four games they played in that campaign, eventually ending up at ninth — the country’s worst since a PBA-backed team finished at ninth as well during the 2007 meet held in Tokushima, Japan.
2022 was, without a doubt, a rough year for the program as a whole. It was on the receiving end of heavy backlash from Filipino fans and pundits alike after the SBP’s sudden decision to bring back Chot Reyes in lieu of Tab Baldwin.
Quiambao and that team that went to the Indonesian capital weren’t spared either, and their disappointing finish only gave the critics more ammo.
(C) FIBA.basketball
But three years later, the proud son of Muntinlupa can finally put all the frustrations of that stint aside as the Philippines qualified for the next round.
It marked the Nationals’ return to the quarterfinals after eight years, or since the 2017 games in Beirut, Lebanon, where they ultimately finished eighth.
And Quiambao made known how much he wants to succeed. He submitted one of his finest performances of the tourney to date with 17 points — spiked by three triples — alongside three rebounds and three assists.
He was crucial, especially in the extra period, opening with a triple to give themselves the lead for good at 82-79. Then he knocked down another one to widen the gap to 90-81 entering the final two minutes.
It was also his way of stepping up to the plate after CJ Perez and Calvin Oftana were ruled out by the SBP due to injuries they sustained.
“I don’t think anything can top the sacrifices each of us has made here. We’re now playing with just a ten-man personnel,” he said.
“That’s what Coach Tim Cone has always been emphasizing: the next-man-up mentality. And not look too far ahead, and simply play our own game; stick to our system – and the game, too,” added Quiambao.
Now, the Goyang Sono Skygunner is bracing for the quarterfinals against Australia, who are gunning for a rare Asia Cup ‘three-peat.’
Quiambao is aware of the tall order that awaits Gilas on Wednesday, but he remains unfazed — in fact, he’s embracing the challenge.
“Powerhouse team, a lot of NBA players, a lot of NBL stars. But we will do our best,” he said. “Whatever we can improve on from this game, we will work on it. We do not want to come into the next game with any fear.
“We will do it for the love of the game, and for the love of our country.”
