Once again given significant playing time, Kevin Quiambao proved why he continues to captivate head coach Tim Cone, delivering the spark off the bench that propelled Gilas Pilipinas to a hard-fought 95-88 overtime victory over Saudi Arabia, clinching a spot in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.
Earlier in the tournament, Cone had called the two-time UAAP MVP the Nationals’ “only highlight” in a loss to Chinese Taipei.
This time, Quiambao made sure Gilas left the hostile King Abdullah Sports City with a morale-boosting win, setting the stage for a tough quarterfinal clash against two-time defending champion Australia.
In arguably his best performance at the senior level, the all-around forward who plays for Goyang Sono dazzled Cone once more.
Quiambao poured in 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 11 in the first half. He also added three rebounds, three steals, and two assists in 31 minutes and 40 seconds of play to keep the Philippines’ title hopes alive.
“He just keeps wowing us,” Cone said of Quiambao shortly after Gilas’ grueling overtime victory early Tuesday morning (Philippine time).
Though Justin Brownlee rightly earned the spotlight as the hero of Gilas’ fourth consecutive win over Saudi Arabia, it was Quiambao who set the tone early.
He scored seven points during a decisive 13-4 run, helping the Nationals close the opening quarter with a comfortable 25-15 lead.
From that point until overtime, Quiambao continued to breathe life into a previously deflated Gilas squad.
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Less than 15 seconds into extra time, he drilled a clutch top-of-the-key three-pointer that paved the way for the Philippines to pull away and dominate the rest of the period.
For Cone, what truly sets Quiambao apart from other rising stars is his fearless embrace of the moment.
At just 24 years old, Quiambao welcomes the pressure and opportunity to lead Gilas with open arms.
“Kevin is not afraid of the moment. Nothing is too big for him. He’ll play the same way, whether he is playing in the Asia Cup or he is playing in the barangay league. He has that kind of personality, and he is going to bring it all the time,” shared the long-time Barangay Ginebra coach.
“He is not going to be afraid to step up and take the big shot when it is presented to him. That is not always the case with every player. That’s what makes him special.”
No matter what unfolds against the World No. 7 Boomers in Wednesday’s daunting quarterfinal, one thing is clear: Quiambao has proven himself a vital cog in the Gilas machine for the foreseeable future, according to Cone.
Joining the Nationals’ core alongside Brownlee, Dwight Ramos, Chris Newsome, Scottie Thompson, June Mar Fajardo, and AJ Edu, Cone firmly believes Quiambao’s consistent rise to the occasion makes him an essential piece of Gilas moving forward.
“He is becoming a vital cog which we could throw with Justin and Dwight, New and Scottie, and June Mar and AJ. He’s another guy we can throw out there,” the 67-year-old tactician revealed.
“We are still learning a lot about Kevin because he is the young gun of the team. I think he is the youngest, along with Carl. So he is battling for his position and his minutes.”
