Kevin Quiambao’s efficiency didn’t go unnoticed even when he performed in a dropping effort.
The younger Gilas Pilipinas ahead injected life into his workforce’s second-half comeback try in opposition to Chinese language Taipei of their 2025 FIBA Asia Cup opener early Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Although he sat out your complete first half, KQ completed with 17 factors within the second half whereas additionally grabbing 4 rebounds and two assists in simply 16 minutes of motion.
The previous UAAP MVP additionally made key performs, igniting a private 5-0 run early within the fourth quarter and burying a step-back three that introduced Gilas again to inside six, 80-74, with 4:43 remaining within the sport.
However his efforts weren’t sufficient because the Philippines got here up quick, 95-87, of their first task on this 12 months’s Asia Cup.
READ MORE | Gilas Pilipinas stumbles vs Chinese Taipei in 2025 FIBA Asia Cup opener
Regardless of the loss, Gilas head coach Tim Cone tipped his hat to Quiambao for offering life when the workforce wanted it most.
“Nicely, he got here out and performed with lots of vitality, hit some massive photographs for us however we nonetheless got here up quick,” Cone mentioned.
Justin Brownlee carried the offense for Gilas within the first half, amassing 16 factors over the primary two quarters that was highlighted by a buzzer-beater triple from past the halfcourt mark that trimmed Gilas’ deficit to 11, 27-16, to finish the primary interval.
However the naturalized ahead was compelled into restricted minutes within the fourth quarter as a consequence of foul bother, setting the stage for the previous De La Salle star’s takeover.
With Brownlee fouling out of the sport on the 4:31 mark, Chinese language Taipei’s Robert Hinton sank a pair of freebies to convey Chinese language Taipei to a different double-digit lead, 88-78, earlier than KQ answered with one other lengthy bomb and a jumper to chop the hole to seven with 1:01 to go, 90-83.
However his and the remainder of Gilas’ efforts went for naught as Chinese language Taipei closed out what had been a dominant sport behind veteran sharpshooter Ying-Chun Chen, who fired 34 factors on 6-of-8 capturing from downtown.
“We have been taking part in from our heels so we have been attempting to hurry again into the sport and took lots of ill-advised photographs, made rather a lot if ill-advised fouls,” Cone added.
“However by way of the way in which Kevin performed, Kevin performed very very properly. He was the spotlight of the workforce.”
—JMB, GMA Built-in Information