Ramos leads Gilas Pilipinas to win over Iraq

Dwight Ramos led Gilas Pilipinas to a crucial 66-57 victory over Iraq in the FIBA Asia Cup on Saturday, August 9.

Ramos scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, spearheading a pivotal third-quarter surge that transformed a 33-35 deficit into a commanding lead despite Justin Brownlee's subpar performance with just eight points.

Philippine head coach Tim Cone emphasized the importance of stepping up when Brownlee faces tight defensive pressure, as seen in their win over Iraq where Ramos capitalized on the opportunity to score 21 points.

Gilas Pilipinas improved to 1-2 in Group D and secured a spot in the quarterfinals qualification round with this victory.

AJ Edu added 9 points and 7 rebounds along with crucial steals and blocks, while June Mar Fajardo and Carl Tamayo also made key contributions offensively and defensively.