Gilas Pilipinas were eliminated from the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers and lost the opportunity to play in the 2024 Paris Olympics after a 71-60 loss against Brazil. Gilas led by as many as 12 points, but it wasn't enough.
The Olympic dream came to an end for Gilas Pilipinas as they were eliminated by Brazil in the FIBA Olympic Qualifier Tournament semifinals with a score of 71-60.
Although Gilas Pilipinas had an outstanding start to the game, they failed to prevent Brazil's comeback.
At the end of the first quarter, the Asian country was up by double digits (22-12), which was partially cut down in the second quarter. However, Brazil went on an 11-0 run in the third period to totally change the game.
Bruno Caboclo was pivotal in engineering Brazil's comeback, finishing the game with a double-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. He was dominant on both ends, both preventing easy buckets from Gilas Pilipinas and being active offensively.
The big man's efforts were joined by Maurcelinho Huertas, who, after a slow start, commandeered his team and scored effectively to disallow a comeback from Gilas Pilipinas. The 41-year-old veteran finished the game with 13 points, 7 assists, and 1 steal.
On the other side of the court, Justin Brownlee's efforts were not enough to bail out Gilas Pilipinas. He was the team's highest scorer with 15 points (5/16 FG) and grabbed 8 rebounds while dishing out 2 assists.
Dwight Ramos joined him with 13 points (5/12 FG), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Center June Mar Fajardo had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Brazil will meet the winner of the Cameroon - Latvia semifinal game for a ticket to the Paris Olympics on July 7.
