Gilas Pilipinas Boys lose to Japan, 85-61, in FIBA U18 Asia Cup qualifier

The Gilas Pilipinas Boys suffered a significant loss to Japan, 85-61, in their FIBA U18 Asia Cup qualification match on Friday, September 6.

Gilas was trailing by nine points at halftime with a score of 40-31 and struggled to keep pace with Japan's second quarter surge, leading to a 28-point deficit after the first half.

Japan extended their lead in the third quarter, but Gilas Boys showed some fight, cutting the gap to six points before falling behind again by double digits entering the fourth quarter.

The Japanese team maintained control throughout the final period, securing their victory and advancing to the quarterfinals while ending Gilas Boys' hopes for a podium finish and qualification for the FIBA U19 World Cup 2025.

Mark Esperanza led the Philippine team with 16 points, followed by Earl Medina who contributed 11 points; on the other side, Leon Watanabe topped Japan's scoring chart with 15 points.