Gilas Pilipinas suffered a disappointing 69-42 defeat to South Korea on September 6, 2026, in Suwon, marking their second consecutive loss against the same opponent.
Struggles in Tune-up Matches
The Nationals' performance was marred by a poor start, scoring only four points in the first quarter. Korea responded with a dominant 19-0 run that set the stage for the blowout.
Gilas Pilipinas' back-to-back losses underscore the daunting task of defending their Asian Games crown.
Gilas Pilipinas Coaching Staff
Gilas was unable to recover from their initial struggles, as Korea built a substantial lead of 37 points midway through the third quarter. This mirrored their earlier 81-55 victory against the Philippines.
Zavier Lucero was the standout for the Philippines, scoring 14 points, but the team lacked the depth needed to compete. Only three players managed to score in double figures.
With only 11 players available, Gilas hopes that Justin Brownlee, the hero of their 2023 championship run, will join the squad in time for the Asian Games.
The Philippines is set to fly to Japan for the Asian Games, where they will face Bahrain on September 11 in their opening match.