Philippines end 61-year wait for Asiad men’s basketball gold with 70-60 win over Jordan

HANGZHOU – After more than six decades, the Philippines are kings of the basketball court in Asia again, completing a fairy-tale run from turmoil to top of the pile after they beat Jordan 70-60 in the Asian Games men’s basketball final on Friday.

Just over four months ago, Gilas Pilipinas were not even sure if they would regain their crown in South-east Asia after losing to Cambodia in the group stage. But with naturalised forward Justin Brownlee in their line-up, they did.

The 35-year-old Filipino-American was the hero once again at the Asian Games in the rematch against Jordan, to whom they had lost in the group stage. Their rivals also boasted a superior head-to-head record, winning four of their last five encounters.

Having hit clutch winners to help his team beat Iran in the quarter-finals, followed by hosts and defending champions China in the semi-finals, Brownlee was inspirational once more in the final with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Only this time, he was backed by his teammates, including a fine defensive performance by captain Chris Newsome.

Philippines coach Tim Cone said: “This is just unbelievable... seemingly coming from nowhere to win this gold medal. This means so much to everyone back home who are passionate about basketball. For us to be able to do this for our countrymen is such a huge thing.”

Four-time champions from 1951 to 1962, the basketball-mad nation lost their grip on the crown and made it to the Asiad final just once since, when they lost to China at the 1990 Beijing Games.

Since then, they have hogged the headlines for the wrong reasons, including the 2018 World Cup qualifier brawl with Australia. Losing all three group games as co-hosts of the Fiba World Cup in August led former Supreme Court spokesman Ted Te to comment on news website Rappler that “international basketball for us is dead, essentially”.

Incredibly, they rediscovered their winning touch at the 18,000-seater Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.

Despite the earlier 87-62 loss to Jordan in the group stage, they started on the right foot in the final. After Scottie Thompson drilled a three-pointer to level the score at 3-3 in the first quarter, they stormed into the lead.

There was a mix of nerves, cold shooting and good defence from both teams as they went into half-time tied again at 31-31. But a 20-10 run in the third quarter put them ahead for good.

Defiant yet soft-spoken, Newsome told The Straits Times: “Only the people back home and our families know what we have been through. We just have to stay positive and trust the people who trust us. This is massive and unbelievable and it shows what we can do when we get the right people together and stick together.”

The silver medallists looked on wistfully as the champions celebrated, but they will soon appreciate their historic feat after earning Jordan’s first Asiad medal in team sports.

Before Hangzhou 2022, the basketballers have never won an Asian Games medal, although they do have fond memories of China, where they finished third and second at the Fiba Asia Cup in 2009 and 2011 respectively. They also qualified for the World Cup in 2010, 2019 and 2023, although they posted just one win in 15 games.

With a Kobe Bryant lookalike in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, a 28-year-old forward who wears No. 24 and pulls off the same mid-range fadeaways and expressions as the late Black Mamba, Jordan were a force to be reckoned with in Hangzhou until Friday.

Naturalised in July, Hollis-Jefferson – formerly of the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers – tried to carry his team but could convert only eight out of his 29 field-goal attempts. His 24 points and 12 rebounds were not complemented by his teammates, with fellow naturalised player John Bohannon contributing just four points and five rebounds.

While he was proud of his team’s historic achievement, Jordan coach Wesam Al-Sous bemoaned their worst offensive display in the most important match. Their Turkish-born captain Ahmad Al-Dwairi added: “We made history for Jordan... this is just the beginning and this will give hope to the young generation.”