The final score offered little comfort for Gilas Pilipinas, but Mike Phillips made sure there was still something worth remembering from Monday night’s loss in Perth.
In a game where Australia dictated the tempo from start to finish en route to a 92-49 victory at RAC Arena, Phillips refused to let the contest slip by without a fight. The 6-foot-8 forward relentlessly chased loose balls, battled for rebounds against the bigger Boomers, and provided the energy that the Philippines desperately needed throughout the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers clash.
The numbers reflected his effort. Phillips grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds in just 24 minutes and 29 seconds while contributing six points, highlighted by a pair of emphatic dunks. He also recorded a steal and a block, making an impact on both ends of the floor despite the lopsided result.
For head coach Tim Cone, Phillips’ relentless approach stood out more than anything else.
“Yeah, he was one of the bright lights for us tonight. He was doing great, especially in the first half. He was rebounding the heck out of the ball and just playing,” said Philippines head coach Tim Cone after the game.
“His nickname is ‘Motor Mike’ and there’s a reason for that. He plays with such a tremendous motor. He’s all over the floor.”
The performance was a significant response after Phillips saw limited production in his Gilas debut against New Zealand, where he posted just two points, three rebounds, and a steal in 11 minutes during the Filipinos’ heartbreaking 106-102 double-overtime defeat.
Against Australia, circumstances also demanded more from him. Gilas entered the contest without naturalized star Justin Brownlee, who was sidelined by multiple injuries, opening the door for Phillips to take on a larger role in the frontcourt.
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What made his outing even more impressive was that he wasn’t operating at full strength.
Cone revealed that Phillips had been dealing with a “gimpy ankle” after suffering an injury during one of Gilas Pilipinas’ tune-up games before the third qualifying window, yet the young forward never let it affect the way he attacked every possession.
The effort may not have been enough to prevent the defeat, but it reinforced why Phillips is becoming one of the national team’s most intriguing young pieces heading into the next phase of the qualifiers.
The Philippines wrapped up the first round of Group A with a 2-4 record, securing third place and advancing to the second round of the Asian Qualifiers. Gilas will resume its campaign at the SM Mall of Asia Arena later this August, taking on Jordan on August 28 before facing Iran on August 30.
Cone believes performances like Monday’s are only the beginning for the energetic forward.
“He’s a young guy, and he plays with so much enthusiasm. It’s very infectious,” Cone said of Phillips.
“Tonight, it was less visible because of the score, but I think that’s something our fans are really going to appreciate moving forward — watching him play with that kind of effort and seeing the other guys get infected by it and continue to play.”
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