What started as a nightmare turned into a showcase of grit and resolve as Gilas Pilipinas flipped the script in dramatic fashion, overcoming a scorching Macau Black Bears squad to notch a thrilling 103-98 victory in their sendoff match Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Down by as many as 21 points in the second quarter, Gilas looked outmatched and overwhelmed against a virtually unknown but red-hot Macau side that drilled 12 triples in the first half and headed into the break with a commanding 63-46 lead. The home crowd, momentarily stunned, watched anxiously as the national team struggled to get its footing.
But head coach Tim Cone, ever the tactician, challenged his players during the halftime huddle—not with fiery speeches, but with a call for accountability.
“They were shooting the lights out, and we honestly had no clue about them coming in,” Cone admitted postgame. “But our guys made a decision—collectively—that defense would dictate how this game ends.”
That decision turned the tide.
Led by the energetic AJ Edu, the all-around hustle of Scottie Thompson, the calm control of Dwight Ramos, and the timely plays of CJ Perez, Gilas clamped down and turned stops into momentum. Macau, which had torched the nets for 12 threes in the first two quarters, was limited to just one in the entire second half.
With the defense suffocating Macau’s rhythm, Gilas slowly chipped away at the deficit. Ball pressure intensified, passing lanes were disrupted, and suddenly, the offense started flowing—from transition buckets to crisp interior passes and confident perimeter shots.
The turnaround didn’t just bring the fans back to life—it reignited belief in the team’s identity heading into the FIBA Asia Cup campaign in Jeddah.
“This game reminded us who we are,” said Cone. “We’re not built to outshoot people. We’re built to outwork them. We’re going to have our highlight plays, sure, but it’s defense that will take us where we want to go.”
By the time the final buzzer sounded, Gilas had outscored Macau 57-35 in the second half and had made a statement—not just in the win column, but in setting the tone for what lies ahead.
While Macau’s unfamiliar roster and unexpected early onslaught posed a serious scare, it may have been exactly the kind of test Gilas needed before facing elite Asian competition.
“This was a reality check, and maybe the best thing that could’ve happened,” said Edu. “Now we know the level of commitment required—every possession, every game.”
As Gilas boards its flight to Saudi Arabia, Monday night’s comeback wasn’t just about avoiding a shocking loss—it was about finding its true north.
And they’re bringing that with them to Jeddah.
