Gilas Boys qualify for FIBA U17 World Cup after QF win vs Japan

Gilas Pilipinas Boys clinched a place in the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup next year after a stunning 64-59 comeback win against Japan in the quarterfinal round of the 2023 FIBA U16 Asian Championships early Saturday morning (Philippine time) in Doha Qatar.

Gilas Boys trailed by 10 points at the halftime break after being held to just 25 points over the first two periods.

They were still behind by the same amount, 44-34, with 3:46 left in the third quarter before unleashing a 12-1 run to take the lead, 46-45, right before the end of the period.

Gilas Boys outscored Japan, 21-10, in the third.

Kiefer Alas, who scored seven points in that crucial third quarter run, continued to carry the scoring load early in the fourth as he chipped in eight more to keep the Philippines in the lead.

Gilas Pilipinas Boys then got huge contributions from Kurt Velasquez and Bonn Daja late to finish the job.

Alas, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, finished with another dominant game with 29 points, nine rebounds, and three assists to lead the Filipinos.

Joaquin Ludovice and Velasquez also finished in double-figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

With the win, Gilas Pilipinas Boys advanced to the semifinal round opposite Australia, who dominated their own quarterfinals opponent, Jordan, 117-50. New Zealand and China, meanwhile, will face off in the other side of the bracket.

All four semis teams secured qualification to the U17 World Cup to be held in June and July next year in Turkey.

The scores:

Gilas Pilipinas Boys (64) - Alas 29, Ludovice 11, Velasquez 10, Daja 6, Amos 4, Williams 4, Alegre 0, Banal 0, Chua 0, Diao 0, Gomez de Liano 0, Morales 0.

Japan (59) - Takata 12, Benedict 10, Sembo 10, Murakami 8, Nakamura 8, Shiratani 5, Honda 4, Wakano 2, Shingo 0, Takahashi 0.

Quarters: 16-16, 25-35, 46-45, 64-59.

Gilas Pilipinas Boys results:

Group D: China def. Philippines, 84-67
Group D: Philippines def. Kazakhstan, 66-42
Group D: Philippines def. Malaysia, 75-52

Playoff: Philippines def. Korea, 95-71

—JMB, GMA Integrated News