FOR the second straight year, the Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 men’s team has failed to advance to the semifinals.
The Filipino cagers absorbed two straight losses in the knockout stage last Saturday in the FIBA Asia Cup at the Singapore Sports Hub.
The Gilas 3×3 side bowed to three-time champion Australia 13-21 and then to Japan 12-22 to crash out the tilt.
The No. 10 Aussie and third seed Japan bagged berths in the Last Eight after emerging as the top two teams in Pool C.
Gilas 3×3’s 0-2 record failed to duplicate the semifinal stint of the squad during the 2022 edition of the tournament when it stunned powerhouse Mongolia in the knockout stage 21-20 via the late-game heroics of Almond Vosotros.
The Filipinos, with multi-titled champion coach Mau Belen calling the shots, actually had the Aussies on the ropes in the final five minutes as Joseph Sedurifa knotted the count at 13-all on a two-pointer.
But veteran Todd Blanchfield scored seven of Australia’s final eight points in an 8-0 binge to seal the win in the tightly-fought game.
Against Japan, Gilas trailed all the way and never recovered to formally bow out of the meet.
