Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone did not mince words after their stunning 91-84 defeat at the hands of Chinese Taipei on Thursday evening.
With the loss marking the Philippines’ first setback against the East Asian squad in FIBA competition since 2016, Cone took full responsibility for the national team’s shortcomings, vowing to steer Gilas back on track.
“No one feels worse about this devastating loss than I do, and I take full ownership of it,” Cone tweeted the following day.
“We knew they were going to be much improved from the last time we played them, but they were even better than we thought. That’s on me. No doubt, I should have prepared us better.”
Gilas entered the match-up at Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium as heavy favorites, having crushed Chinese Taipei 106-53 in their previous meeting back in February.
But on Thursday evening, the home team came out with a vengeance. They refused to wilt under pressure and executed a near-flawless game plan that exposed Gilas’ vulnerabilities.
Despite Justin Brownlee’s spectacular 39-point outburst, including eight three-pointers, the Filipinos struggled to contain Chinese Taipei’s offensive firepower.
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Lin Tingchien, Brandon Gilbeck, and Lu Chunhsiang delivered clutch baskets down the stretch, while the hosts punished Gilas with 15 made triples. The Philippines also committed 17 costly turnovers.
Gilas had clawed their way back from a 12-point third-quarter deficit, with Brownlee’s seventh three-pointer pushing them ahead, 80-79, with 3:56 remaining.
However, Chinese Taipei responded, regaining control and never looking back.
Cone acknowledged the Taiwanese’s poise.
“I thought the Chinese Taipei team was very impressive. We made a couple of runs at them, hoping that they would crack, but they never did. They kept their composure and they kept on making big shots. Very impressive win by them. They were well deserving,” Cone remarked postgame.
The defeat comes on the heels of a rough stretch for Gilas, who also dropped their last two games in the 2nd Doha Invitational Cup against Lebanon (75-54) and Egypt (86-55).
The loss to Chinese Taipei raised concerns surrounding Gilas’s form as they head into their final game of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers against New Zealand on Sunday.
While the Philippines and the Tall Blacks have both secured their spots in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, the upcoming clash presents an opportunity for Gilas to recalibrate and regain momentum.
“There is obviously a lot that I would have done differently in that game if given another chance, but that is not possible now,” he admitted.
“Only thing we can do at this point is move on. I will be better. We will be better.”
