Gilas Pilipinas got off to a hot start on the way to an 80-41 blowout victory over Qatar in their knockout qualification match on Monday, October 2. The win propelled the Philippines to the quarterfinal round, where it will go up against Iran.

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Gilas Pilipinas crushes Qatar to set up quarterfinal date with Iran in Asian Games

Fourth quarter

• FINAL: Gilas Pilipinas books a quarterfinal berth after blowing out Qatar, 80-41!
• GILAS PILIPINAS 80-41: Kevin Alas adds another one
• GILAS PILIPINAS 78-41: Arvin Tolentino ends the scoring drought with a three
• GILAS PILIPINAS 75-41: Still no field goal for the Philippines as Qatar strings up 4 straight points
• GILAS PILIPINAS 75-37: Japeth Aguilar free throws put Gilas on the board
• GILAS PILIPINAS 73-37: Gilas still scoreless in the quarter as Qatar makes it a 7-0 start after a Mohamed Nadao bucket
• GILAS PILIPINAS 73-35: Qatar opens the period with 5 straight points

Third quarter

• END OF 3Q: Gilas Pilipinas in cruise control as it leads by 43 points, 73-30
• GILAS PILIPINAS 73-30: CJ Perez converts the fastbreak layup
• GILAS PILIPINAS 71-30: Ange Kouame hook shot
• GILAS PILIPINAS 69-30: Faris Avdic gets the bucket to go
• GILAS PILIPINAS 69-28: Calvin Oftana hits the baseline jumper
• GILAS PILIPINAS 67-28: Nedim Muslic with the reverse layup
• GILAS PILIPINAS 67-26: Lead now at 41 points as June Mar Fajardo scores again
• GILAS PILIPINAS 65-26: June Mar Fajardo beats the shot clock
• GILAS PILIPINAS 63-26: Meho Haracic finally scores for Qatar as he drains a trey
• GILAS PILIPINAS 63-23: 40-point lead as Chris Newsome drains the jumper
• GILAS PILIPINAS 61-23: Ange Kouame slams it home
• GILAS PILIPINAS 59-23: June Mar Fajardo lays it in

Second quarter

• END OF 2Q: Gilas Pilipinas still in full control with a 57-23 advantage over Qatar!
• GILAS PILIPINAS 57-23: Ange Kouame bucket and Kevin Alas free throws close out the quarter for Gilas
• GILAS PILIPINAS 53-23: Kevin Alas and CJ Perez quickly respond after a Nedim Muslic triple
• GILAS PILIPINAS 49-20: Back-to-back from Japeth Aguilar and Ange Koumae
• GILAS PILIPINAS 45-20: Fastbreak play for CJ Perez
• GILAS PILIPINAS 43-20: Japeth Aguilar again, this time a side jumper
• GILAS PILIPINAS 41-20: Japeth Aguilar stretches the Philippines’ lead to 21 points
• GILAS PILIPINAS 39-18: Ehadji Ndoye nails fould shots, Kevin Alas scores
• GILAS PILIPINAS 37-16: Qatar scores first basket of the quarter off Mohamed Ndao
• GILAS PILIPINAS 37-14: Another CJ Perez trey after a Japeth Aguilar free throw

First quarter

• END OF 1Q: Gilas Pilipinas off to a hot start against Qatar at 33-14
• GILAS PILIPINAS 33-14: CJ Perez shot-clock beating trey
• GILAS PILIPINAS 30-14: Moustafa Lashin basket and Babakar Dieng free throws
• GILAS PILIPINAS 30-10: Mousata Lashin stops the Qatar bleeding before Scottie Thompson free throw
• GILAS PILIPINAS 29-8: PH pads the lead with Justin Brownlee bucket and Arvin Tolentino triple
• GILAS PILIPINAS 24-8: Quick 5-0 spurt from Gilas with a Thompson bucket and Oftana trey
• GILAS PILIPINAS 19-8: June Mar Fajardo free throws
• GILAS PILIPINAS 17-8: Justin Brownlee and-one after a Nedim Muslic free throw
• GILAS PILIPINAS 14-7: Two straight treys from Calvin Oftana
• 6-6: Quick Qatar response after back-to-back triples from Elhadji Ndoye and Abdula Mousa
• GILAS PILIPINAS 4-0: start after backo-to-back Justin Brownlee buckets

Starters

• GILAS PILIPINAS: Chris Newsome, Scottie Thompson, June Mar Fajardo, Calvin Oftana, Justin Brownlee
• QATAR: Elhadji Ndoye, Nedim Muslic, Abdullah Mousam, Babakar Dieng, Faris Advic

Preview

Now we go to the sudden death rounds.

Gilas Pilipinas fights for its tournament life as it faces Qatar for a spot in the quarterfinals in the Asian Games men’s basketball competition in Hangzhou, China, on Monday, October 2.

Fresh from a 25-point loss to Jordan that denied them of an outright berth in the last eight, the Filipinos look to vent their ire on the Qataris to remain on track for a first Asian Games medal in 25 years.

The odds favor the Philippines considering it beat Qatar numerous times in the past.

Qatar finished third in Group D after double-digit losses to Japan and South Korea, with its only win coming against Indonesia.

But to pull off a victory, Gilas Pilipinas needs to spread the wealth.

Justin Brownlee churned out 24 points against Jordan, but he lacked scoring help from his teammates as Scottie Thompson ended up as the only other Filipino player in double figures with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The defeat marked the Philippines’ first in this Asian Games after convincing wins over Bahrain and Thailand as it finished second in Group C with a 2-1 record.

A triumph over the Qataris should restore the Filipinos’ confidence ahead of a potential quarterfinal clash with Asian powerhouse Iran.

Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com