Gilas Pilipinas Youth wrapped up its group stage campaign at the FIBA U16 Asia Cup with an 85-54 loss to New Zealand on Tuesday at the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Complex in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The defeat dropped the Philippines to a 1-2 record in Group B, placing them in the qualification round for the quarterfinals. Their next opponent remains undecided, pending the outcome of the match between Chinese Taipei and Indonesia. Depending on final standings, Gilas Youth will face either Group A’s second seed, Bahrain, or third seed, Lebanon.
Jhustin Hallare led the Philippines with 13 points, while Mark Jhello Lumagub contributed 11 points and seven rebounds.
New Zealand controlled the tempo from the opening tip, gradually widening the gap across all four quarters. The Junior Tall Blacks’ largest lead ballooned to 31 points, fueled by their dominance on the boards and consistent shooting.
Gilas struggled offensively, converting just 26 percent of their field goal attempts and getting outrebounded 61-34. In contrast, New Zealand shot 41 percent from the field and showcased balanced scoring, led by Liam Anthony Keogh with 17 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. Lawson Pryor added 15 points and six rebounds.
Despite the setback, Gilas Youth remains in contention for a quarterfinal berth, with hopes of bouncing back in the knockout rounds.
The scores:
New Zealand 85 – Keogh 17, Pryor 15, Sula 11, Wilson 10, Duncan 10, Tuupo 8, Couper 5, Rampton 4, Pohio 3, Hakaraia 2, Tuimaunei 0.
Philippines 54 – Hallare 13, Lumagub 11, Carino 9, Cruz 7, Cabanero 5, J. Pascual 4, Tan-Chi 3, Delos Reyes 2, T. Pascual 0, Orca 0, Restificar 0, Antolin 0.
Quarters: 17-7; 42-26; 66-44; 85-54.
