Gilas completed a flawless 5-0 campaign in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers, finishing their gold medal run with an 85-70 victory over host Thailand on Sunday to formally secure a spot in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup set in India this August.
The final was far from a runaway despite earlier results suggesting control. After sweeping Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia en route to the championship round, the Philippines faced its tightest test yet against a Thailand squad determined to defend home court.
The hosts stayed within striking distance deep into the fourth quarter, trimming the gap to 68-61 with four minutes remaining after a Lorenzo Ravazzini basket, threatening to disrupt Gilas’ perfect march.
But when the game tightened, the Philippines answered with composure. A decisive 10-2 finishing run shut the door on Thailand’s comeback hopes, with Joaquin Tovera capping the surge with a key layup with 1:35 left to restore separation and secure control.
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Tovera led Gilas in the championship game with 21 points on efficient 8-of-14 shooting, adding two rebounds, one assist, and three steals in a well-rounded performance that set the tone on both ends.
He was supported by a balanced scoring effort, with Patrick Pasinos and Ethan Aguas contributing 13 points each, while Chog Moral delivered across the board with 10 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in a steady all-around showing.
Thailand, who still did enough across the tournament to qualify for the main event, leaned on Ravazzini’s double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds in the final push, but ultimately fell short against Gilas’ late-game execution.
The earlier matchup between the two teams also saw Gilas secure an 85-70 win, reinforcing their control of the matchup while highlighting how much closer the rematch became under title pressure.
Despite the tighter finish, the result extended the Philippines’ dominance in the regional stage, marking their seventh consecutive SEABA Qualifiers championship.
With the sweep complete and momentum intact, Gilas now turns its attention to a bigger stage in India, where the challenge will rise—but so too will expectations for a program that continues to define regional consistency.
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