Gilas Pilipinas Rallies from 21 Down to Stun Macau in Final Tuneup Game

on
by Lou Reyes

Gilas Pilipinas' Justin Brownlee (32) goes up against Macau Black Bears big man Quentin Millora-Brown. Photo: PBA Images.

Gilas Pilipinas delivered a thrilling comeback performance on Monday night, overcoming a 21-point hole to edge the visiting Macau Black Bears, 103-98, in their lone exhibition game before flying out for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah.

Returning for his first game on local soil since March, Justin Brownlee proved why he remains Gilas’ cornerstone. The naturalized forward erupted for 32 points, including five triples, and hit clutch buckets down the stretch that helped seal the win after fending off a late Macau run.

The national squad, missing key big men June Mar Fajardo and Calvin Oftana due to their recent PBA Finals grind, looked shaky early. Macau caught fire from long range, sinking 12 three-pointers in the first half en route to a 63-46 halftime advantage. At one point, Gilas trailed by as much as 56-35.

But the second half told a different story.

Gilas Pilipinas guard Dwight Ramos. Photo: FIBA.

Fueled by defensive intensity, Gilas flipped the script with a 33-18 third-quarter surge that erased Macau’s double-digit lead. AJ Edu energized the comeback with a thunderous slam midway through the quarter that cut the deficit to just two, 69-67, and later capped off his 15-point night with another dunk in the final minute to all but ice the game at 103-96.

Coach Tim Cone commended his squad’s second-half turnaround, particularly their defensive response.

“They caught us off guard with their shooting—we didn’t have much scouting on them,” said Cone. “But our guys made a decision at halftime to dig in on defense. We only gave up 18 in the third and low 20s in the fourth. That’s the kind of identity we need heading into the Asia Cup.”

With the Black Bears threatening late, Brownlee delivered once more. His off-balance jumper turned three-point play gave Gilas breathing room at 96-92 with 3:40 left. Moments later, he buried another deep three to stretch the lead to seven, 101-94.

Dwight Ramos also contributed efficiently with 19 points, complementing Brownlee’s offense.

Despite the close call, the gritty win serves as a morale booster for the Nationals as they gear up for a tough international campaign.

From a sluggish start to a defiant finish, Gilas showed the kind of resolve it hopes to carry into battle in Jeddah.

The scores:

Gilas Pilipinas 103 – Brownlee 32, Ramos 19, Edu 15, Quiambao 14, Thompson 10, Perez 7, Newsome 2, Abarrientos 2, Malonzo 2, Aguilar 0, Tamayo 0.

Macau Black Bears 98 – Douglas 23, Anthony 22, Leung 17, Peek 14, Shackelford 7, Millora-Brown 6, Dennis 5, Ndiaye 2, Obasa 2, Micek 0.

Quarterscores: 25-33; 46-63; 79-81; 103-98