Gilas Pilipinas started slow on Sunday. They finished with a flourish.
Once more, the Philippines labored through a rough start—this time against Iran—but rallied anyway to take a crucial 68‑56 victory in front of a raucous crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The win followed Gilas Pilipinas’ 82‑81 triumph on Friday versus Jordan at the same venue to Give the country a clean sweep of Window 4 of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
It wasn’t easy, though.
Iran Start Strong, Gilas Pilipinas Respond
Just like Jordan the other day, Iran took the fight right to the Philippines, scoring the first six points of the game en route to an 18‑7 lead after one. Then, just like in Friday’s win, Gilas Pilipinas made their move in the second quarter. They fired the first five points and then unleashed 11 unanswered near the end to finally take the lead, 32‑29, on a steal off the inbound and corner three by Dwight Ramos.
Free throws by June Mar Fajardo and Ramos gave Gilas Pilipinas a 36‑34 lead heading into halftime as the crowd sensed a potential victory against a powerhouse.
Tight Third, Furious Fourth
The third quarter took on an even more defensive tone, with both sides clamping down in a low‑scoring but tightly contested frame. In the end, the Philippines kept their two‑point lead, heading into the final canto ahead, 49‑47, after a 13‑13 quarter highlighted by seven Juan Gomez de Liaño points.
Come the fourth frame, the game was still tied at 54 when Gilas Pilipinas, led by Ramos and Kai Sotto, fired a 7‑0 run to take a 61‑54 cushion with four minutes left. That final run proved to be the difference‑maker as the Philippines held Iran down until the final buzzer with suffocating defense.
Ramos, JGDL, Sotto Lead the Way
Ramos and Gomez de Liaño led Gilas Pilipinas with 16 points apiece, combining for 17 of the team’s 32 second‑half points. Ramos also had 7 rebounds and 2 steals, while JGDL added 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Kai Sotto lorded over the paint with a 13‑point, 16‑rebound double‑double, as frontcourt partner AJ Edu chipped in 8 points, 8 boards, and 3 blocks.
On the other side, backup guard Mobin Sheikhi was the lone bright spot for Iran, firing 21 points on 5‑for‑8 shooting from deep. Highly touted wing Mohammad Amini finished with just 7 points on a woeful 2‑for‑15 clip but had 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Matin Aghajanpour, who scored 19 in Iran’s close loss to New Zealand, managed only 6 markers.
Looking Ahead
With the sweep of Window 4, Gilas Pilipinas (4‑4) gained crucial momentum heading into the next stage of the qualifiers. They will meet Iran again in Window 5 later this year, with both teams expected to make adjustments in what promises to be another high‑stakes showdown.
