Gilas Pilipinas eyes payback vs. Chinese Taipei to kick off FIBA Asia Cup campaign

With memories of a heartbreaking loss from their previous meeting still fresh, the Gilas Pilipinas national men's basketball team is gearing up to turn the tables on Chinese Taipei this time around as the Filipinos open their campaign in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.

Gilas takes on Chinese Taipei on Wednesday at 2 a.m. (Philippine time) looking to jumpstart its regional tournament run with a strong performance led by usual suspects Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez, June Mar Fajardo, and Dwight Ramos.

READ MORE | Gilas Pilipinas at 2025 FIBA Asia Cup: Schedule vs Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, and Iraq

Gilas suffered a 91-84 loss to the same team during the third window of the Asia Cup qualifiers last February with Chinese Taipei's sharp shooter Chun Hsiang Lu knocking down the dagger triple in the final 49 seconds.

That loss was the Philippines' first defeat to Chinese Taipei since 2013.

That’s why their impending rematch at the Asia Cup will carry added weight, not just as the opening game of their campaign but as a shot at redemption.

Gilas caught a break as sharpshooter Lu Chun-hsiang was left out of Chinese Taipei’s official Asia Cup roster, though the East Asian side will have US-based brothers Robert and Adam Hinton to take the lead.

"Taiwan beat us the last time we played them and they have two young Division 1 players and those guys are making impact on that team," Gilas head coach Tim Cone said a week ago.

"They definitely have the personnel, it wasn’t a fluke that they beat us. So we have to be prepared for them."

Gilas is heading to Asia Cup armed with two morale-boosting wins against the Macau Black Bears and Jordan in their friendly matches. 

The Filipinos erased a 21-point deficit to eke out a 103-98 win against the Black Bears last Monday with Brownlee, Ramos, Perez, and AJ Edu fueling the comeback in the absence of Fajardo and Calvin Oftana. 

?They then carved a 75-61 victory over Jordan in another tune-up game in Jeddah.

The world no. 34 Filipinos are now hoping to translate this momentum when they meet no. 73 Chinese Taipei anew. 

?Completing Gilas' Asia Cup crew are Chris Newsome, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, Kevin Quiambao, and Carl Tamayo.

Fajardo and Oftana are also both listed on the roster but there is some uncertainty about their availability as the two players sat out their game against Macau to recover from a grueling finals series between their mother clubs, San Miguel and TNT, in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.

Gilas is competing in Group D of the competition along with Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, and Iraq.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News