JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – It has been two decades since Saudi Arabia last finished among the top eight teams in the FIBA Asia Cup. That was back in 2005 in Doha, while their most memorable campaign as hosts came in 1997 when they surged all the way to fourth place. Now, with the tournament back in their own backyard, the mission is clear: get past the Qualification to Quarter-Finals and earn a crack at the defending champions, Australia.
Standing in their way are a battle-tested Philippine squad who had to grind out a crucial win over Iraq to survive Group D. The hosts finished second in Group C at 2-1, riding strong performances against Jordan and India after their opening loss to China. For the Filipinos, a 1-2 record reflects an up-and-down group phase, with bright moments in transition but inconsistency from the perimeter.
Key matchup: Mohammed Alsuwailem vs AJ Edu
Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Alsuwailem has been a force in the paint all tournament, ranking third overall in efficiency (26.3 per game), second in rebounds (12.0) and first in blocks (3.0). His dominance on both ends is the heartbeat of the home team. The man tasked with slowing him down will be Philippines’ AJ Edu, who is not far behind with 2.0 blocks per contest. If Edu and the rest of the Gilas frontline cannot contain Alsuwailem, the home crowd will have plenty to cheer about.
X-Factor: Backcourt play
The hosts have enjoyed outstanding guard play from Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Khalid Abdel Gabar, who have consistently set the tone offensively. For the Philippines, guard production has been uneven so far, but the duo of Scottie Thompson and Chris Newsome are capable of turning the tide. Whichever backcourt dictates pace and flow could very well decide who books that ticket to the Quarter-Finals.
Stats don’t lie
While Alsuwailem’s rim protection makes headlines, Saudi Arabia’s three-point shooting has quietly been a major weapon. Over their last two games, they have averaged 11.5 triples at a 35.9% clip. That’s a sharp contrast to the Philippines’ struggles defending the arc—allowing 25 three-pointers combined against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand. If the hosts get hot from deep again, Gilas Pilipinas could be in trouble.
Previous Asia Cup meetings
The Philippines have an immaculate 3-0 record against Saudi Arabia in FIBA Asia play, though the last two times they met were for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers. As for their last Asia Cup meeting, that came back in 2013 in Manila, where Gilas prevailed 78-66. History is on the Filipinos' side, but history does not play the games, especially not in front of a fired-up home crowd.
With a Quarter-Finals berth at stake and the roar of the home fans behind them, Saudi Arabia are primed to seize a rare opportunity to return to the top tier of Asian basketball. For the Philippines, this is about rising above early stumbles and proving they can thrive when it’s win-or-go-home.
FIBA