JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – New Zealand survived a 37-point explosion from Justin Brownlee to outlast the Philippines 94-86 and improve to 2-0 in Group D at the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 on Thursday at King Abdullah Sports City.
Jordan Ngatai led the Tall Blacks with 22 points on a perfect 5-of-5 clip from beyond the arc, while Taylor Britt added 19 points and 7 assists, including critical baskets down the stretch that sealed the hard-fought win.
The Philippines dropped to 0-2 despite Brownlee’s heroic performance, which included 7 triples and a barrage of second-half buckets that brought Gilas to the brink of a comeback. Dwight Ramos also stepped up in the second half, while Scottie Thompson provided energy on both ends, but New Zealand’s poise and depth ultimately made the difference.
It was a fiery start to the game as both teams traded early blows. Brownlee and June Mar Fajardo opened the scoring, but the Tall Blacks quickly found their groove behind Ngatai’s hot shooting and Flynn Cameron’s penetration. A late surge gave New Zealand a 23-14 lead before Carl Tamayo and Chris Newsome trimmed the gap to 23-18 by the end of the opening quarter.
The pace quickened in the second as the Philippines fed off crowd energy, with Kevin Quiambao drilling a triple to pull within two. But Ngatai remained unstoppable, hitting his fourth three-pointer to push the lead to 9. Brownlee battled hard to keep Gilas in it with a combination of triples and strong finishes, but New Zealand’s transition game, fueled by Britt and Mojave King, repeatedly punished Philippine turnovers.
The Tall Blacks hit 9 triples in the first half and carried a 55-41 lead into the break, with Ngatai and Brownlee tied at 19 points apiece.
The third period was Gilas’ best, as they mounted a spirited rally. Brownlee and Ramos attacked relentlessly, bringing the deficit down to four late in the period. Tohi Smith-Milner momentarily silenced the run with a clutch three, but the Philippines refused to go away. Britt closed the quarter with a buzzer-beating layup to give New Zealand a 74-68 cushion heading into the fourth.
Max Darling extended the lead with a corner triple to start the final frame, but the Philippines responded with another Brownlee-Ramos flurry to eventually close within three, 85-82. Ngatai answered with his fifth triple, and Britt took over from there. He sliced through the defense for back-to-back layups that restored control for the Tall Blacks.
New Zealand’s defense locked in during the final two minutes, forcing key misses and converting from the line. King iced the game with two free throws, while Ramos added a late drive that proved too little, too late.
The Tall Blacks (2-0) will next face fellow unbeaten Chinese Taipei, while the Philippines (0-2) must win against Iraq to keep their Quarter-Finals hopes alive.
FIBA