31 Aug
    7 Sept 2025

    Group B: New Zealand grab solo lead; Philippines nail first win

    3 min to read
    Game Report

    NZ boys nearing sweep; Gilas Youth escape Timnas

    ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - New Zealand have seized pole position in Group B following a 101-82 victory over Chinese Taipei in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025, Monday evening at the MBank Arena.

    The Junior Tall Blacks figured in a nip-and-tuck affair with their East Asian counterparts early but got going in the second chapter, never to be denied toward staying spotless in the tournament with a 2-0 record.

    A win against the Philippines on Tuesday, September 2, 16:30 local time at the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Complex would enable the crew to lock the no. 1 spot and book a ticket to the Quarter-Finals set on September 5.

    Marco Sula submitted his best game yet with 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists to lead the NZL boys.

    Brigham Hakaraia delivered 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench. Liam Keogh also finished with 12 points to his name, and laced it with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 of the team's 7 steals.

    Elijah Tuupo and Lawson Pryor added 11 points apiece as five players finished in double digits in the victory that saw New Zealand collect 62 rebounds - that, after grabbing 79 versus Indonesia on opening day.

    Sooner, the 2023 runners-up will turn their attention to Gilas Youth, which are entering Tuesday's match in high spirits as they broke through after pulling off a 65-60 escape against Timnas in a rivalry affair.

    The Filipino dribblers came in as a favorite after beating the same team convincingly in the SEABA Qualifiers' Final at home last May, only to face a squad hungry for payback that an upset appeared imminent.

    Game was tied at 56-all with less than five minutes to go but Andwele Cabanero gave the Philippines the lead for good with a layup off a drive, before Jolo Pascual and Prince Carino came in to keep their foes at bay.

    Pascual himself nailed a crucial trifecta to push their lead at 63-57 with only 38 seconds left, and Carino would go on to settle the final count with a cleanup of Ethan Tan-Chi's missed free throws in the closing moments.

    Tan-Chi led Gilas Youth with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Pascual made 11 points and 5 assists while Cabanero added 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals as they bounced back after losing to Chinese Taipei Monday.

    Chinese Taipei and Malaysia would be the other Group B game on Tuesday, set for a 19:00 tip-off time.

    FIBA

    Latest News

    Group B: New Zealand seal QF berth; Chinese Taipei move on

    Group C: China QF-bound after frustrating Korea; Malaysia stay in hunt

    Group A: Crocs enter Quarter-Finals; Bahrain finish second

    Register to get the latest news of your team
    More info
    Social Media
    Links
    © Copyright FIBA All rights reserved. No portion of FIBA.basketball may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. By accessing FIBA.basketball pages, you agree to abide by FIBA.basketball terms and conditions