Gilas Pilipinas ended their Asia Cup qualifiers campaign on a sour note, falling to New Zealand, 87-70, for their second straight loss. Despite the setback, they secured second place in their group with a 4-2 record and now shift their focus to the FIBA Asia Cup in August.
It was a wire to wire victory for New Zealand, who led by as much as 28 points in the third quarter. While Gilas managed to trim the deficit to 11 during the fourth, they couldn't sustain the momentum, as New Zealand responded with timely baskets to keep the game out of reach.
There were a lot of things to uncover from the loss and what it might mean for Gilas' prospect in August.
Lackluster defensive effort
If there's one area head coach Tim Cone needs Gilas to improve on in future games it's the defense. The number of wide-open looks New Zealand generated was alarming, as the opposition consistently exploited gaps in the Philippines defense.
New Zealand pressured Gilas from the start with pick-and-pops, targeted June Mar Fajardo in ball screens and created paint touches through dribble penetration. This forced defensive collapses, leading to open perimeter shots. The strategy paid off, with the Tall Blacks hitting 39.4% (13-of-33) of their 3-pointers, including 10 in the first half.
Tohi Smith-Milner led the charge from deep, scoring 25 points on 50% shooting from beyond the arc, while veterans Corey Webster and Reuben Te Rangi added 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Defending the 3-point line remains a glaring weakness for Gilas, as seen in their earlier loss to Chinese Taipei, where they gave up 15 triples. At the heart of the issue is their pick-and-roll coverage. Whether it's a personnel challenge or a schematic adjustment, Gilas must determine how to navigate screens -- whether to go under or over -- and improve their defensive rotations. Finding the right approach will be crucial as they prepare for the Asia Cup.
Is there enough shooting within the team?
As opposing teams continue to torch Gilas from the perimeter, the same issue persists on the other end: generating reliable outside shooting. In their loss to New Zealand, the team shot just 20.7% (6/29) from beyond the arc. When factoring in their game against Chinese Taipei without Justin Brownlee, the locals combined for just two triples on 10 attempts, highlighting a recurring struggle.
For the Philippines, the defensive pressure on Brownlee was a major factor. New Zealand aggressively blitzed him, limiting him to just 10 points on eight shot attempts. While Gilas saw more production from its bench compared to the game against Chinese Taipei -- Chris Newsome led the team with 13 points on 50% shooting -- most of their offense came from the midrange.
This lack of perimeter shooting presents a major concern, especially heading into the FIBA Asia Cup without Kai Sotto. Without a dominant inside presence besides the aging Fajardo, spacing will be even more crucial to open up driving lanes and allow their bigs to operate efficiently in the paint. Teams will continue to pack the lane and collapse on Brownlee, knowing Gilas lacks consistent outside threats.
Gilas must find ways to generate more 3-point opportunities -- not just through spot-ups, but also via better ball movement and off-ball actions.
Whether it's improving shot selection, emphasizing off-screen plays, or incorporating more drive-and-kick sequences, Gilas needs to develop a more dynamic perimeter attack. Without it, their offense risks becoming predictable, making it easier for opponents to clog the paint and force them into tough midrange attempts.
With limited time before the Asia Cup, finding a solution to their shooting woes and improving their defense must be a priority.
Whether Cone can achieve this with lineup adjustments or tactical changes, Gilas must make some changes or their run through the Asia Cup may be short.