Gilas shakes off pesky Syria to book quarters clash vs China
The Gilas Pilipinas Boys team defeated Syria 72-63 to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cup. The team will now face China for a chance to qualify for the FIBA U19 World Cup.
Why it matters
Success in international youth basketball tournaments is a significant indicator of a nation's future athletic development and global standing in the sport.
The Gilas Pilipinas Boys team shook off a pesky Syrian side, 72-63, to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cup at the Veer Savarkar Stadium in Ahmedabad, India on Thursday, Aug. 20.
The Nationals, after trailing for most part of the first half, came alive in the second and unloaded a 17-5 rally bridging the last two quarters to create the much-needed separation in the surprisingly tight contest.
Gilas was actually trailing, 42-44, late the third frame before the huge run made it a 59-49 advantage midway through the final frame.
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