New Zealand mainstay Corey Webster impressed with Gilas Pilipinas bigs

For the first time in Corey Webster's national team career, New Zealand has fallen prey to the Philippines after the Tall Blacks absorbed a 93-89 loss to Gilas Pilipinas on Thursday in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. 

Webster, a New Zealand mainstay for more than two decades, thinks the bigs made life harder for the visitors in front of a jam-packed Mall of Asia Arena. 

"They’re big. They got a lot of bigs that are tough under the hoop, they seal hard, they get to their positions that we are trying to limit," Webster said.

"It’s a tough team, they got some great players, and they stepped up and made shots at the end of the game tonight."

A red-hot New Zealand came up and torched the Philippines from beyond the arc after the Tall Blacks buried 18 of their 35 three-pointer attempts, five of which came from Webster as he dropped 25 points. 

But the Philippines definitely owned the paint. 

Kai Sotto was a problem for New Zealand with the 7-foot-3 big man dropping all of his eight field goals inside the paint while Justin Brownlee shot seven two-point field goals as both players tallied double-double outings. 

June Mar Fajardo, who managed to put up just six points throughout the game, converted all of his production in the paint as well to supply the help for the hosts. 

"I’m very proud of our team in the battle. We knew it was gonna be a tough contest against the Philippines, they played a very structured offense and [were] very physical," New Zealand coach Judd Flavell said.

"We knew this coming into the game. But for the majority of it, I’m very proud of my group."

—JKC, GMA Integrated News