JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – The Philippines are riding the high of a dramatic overtime comeback win over hosts Saudi Arabia in the Qualification to Quarter-Finals, but now comes the steepest climb of all, which is a Quarter-Finals date with the defending champions.
Australia have yet to lose a single FIBA Asia Cup game since joining the competition in 2017, and their 3-0 sweep of Group A kept that streak intact. Still, their last outing showed a rare flicker of vulnerability as Qatar hung around until the Boomers pulled away late. The mission for the Aussies now is simple: advance to the Semi-Finals and keep their record unblemished. For the Philippines, it’s about riding momentum and proving that miracles do happen in Jeddah.
Key matchup: Jaylin Galloway vs Dwight Ramos
Few players have impressed more for Australia than Jaylin Galloway, who has combined efficient scoring with disruptive defense. He’s averaging 2.3 steals and 2.7 made triples per game, making him a threat on both ends. Dwight Ramos fills a similar two-way role for Gilas Pilipinas, though with less scoring volume. If Ramos can limit Galloway’s production while finding ways to score himself, the Philippines might just keep this one close.
X-Factor: Fouls
The Boomers have been dominant, but they’ve also been whistle-prone. Their 21.0 fouls per game are the second-most in the tournament, something the Philippines will look to exploit. Gilas hit close to 70.0% from the free-throw line, so every trip to the stripe could be valuable in keeping the scoreboard ticking over against a taller, deeper opponent.
Stats don’t lie
Australia’s size and depth make them a rebounding machine, pulling down 48.7 boards per game to rank second overall. The Philippines are right behind in third at 44.0, thanks to the efforts of AJ Edu, Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee. If Gilas can at least break even on the glass, they’ll have a platform to generate second-chance points and slow the Boomers’ transition game.
Previous Asia Cup meetings
This will actually be the first FIBA Asia Cup encounter between Australia and the Philippines. That said, the two nations have shared intense battles in other FIBA competitions, giving this match-up a layer of potential thrills and drama that goes beyond the box score.
On paper, the Boomers are heavy favorites to march into the top four, but the Philippines have already shown they can thrive under pressure. If Gilas can defend the arc, hold their own on the boards, and take advantage of any foul trouble, they might just turn Jeddah into the stage for another FIBA Asia Cup shocker.
FIBA