TOUGH SHOT. June Mar Fajardo scores a reverse basket against Iran’s defenders as Gilas Pilipinas escapes an 84-83 win to advance in the semifinals of the men’s 5X5 basketball 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Tuesday (Oct. 3, 2023). Justine Brownlee scored 36 points for the Philippines which will face host China in the semis. (PSC-POC Media Group photo)
MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas escaped from a fourth-quarter comeback from Iran and won, 84-83, in the Asian Games men's 5x5 basketball quarterfinals on Tuesday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in China.
Behind a blistering start, Gilas was on track to deal Iran a bad beating and led, 64-43, with 4:26 left in the third quarter before settling for a 71-54 advantage at the end of the quarter.
Iran, however, stormed back in the fourth quarter and even took the lead, 83-82, with 1:02 remaining.
Justin Brownlee, though, converted a floater with 44 seconds left to put Gilas back up.
Matin Aghajanpour tried to give Iran the lead again, but he missed a three-pointer and the team let Gilas milk the remaining 22 seconds of the game.
Losing the 21-point lead was not exactly a shocker, Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone said.
“In the international game, things can turn on a dime, and this did in the fourth quarter,” he said. “Luckily we had a big lead. We should have never put ourselves in that position, but that’s the way these kinds of games are.”
Brownlee led Gilas with 36 points but was held to the game-winning basket in the fourth quarter by a box-and-one defense thrown by the Iranians that stifled his movement through most of the second half.
“I think we did a good job in the first three quarters. But when they threw a wrench into our plans with that box-and-one, we just kinda struggled,” said Cone. “I think the Iranian coach did a great job bringing his team back.”
Brownlee also gabbed eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals to lead Gilas, which will battle host team China, an 84-70 winner against South Korea in another quarterfinal, in the semifinals on Wednesday night.
June Mar Fajardo added 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal for Gilas.
Mohammadsina Vahedi led Iran with 24 points, one rebound, and one assist. (PNA)
