Gilas to fight with pride vs Kiwis, AussiesMANILA, Philippines — Up against formidable opponents New Zealand and Australia, Gilas Pilipinas is banking on that powerful instinct as it makes its stand. “I think that is really, really important to them. “And there’s always a certain pride about playing at home and so that makes this particular window extremely important to these guys. The Tall Blacks dropped their first two matches in the Qualifiers against the Aussies, making them motivated to get their bid on track. Moreso, there’s the revenge factor considering Gilas dealt the Kiwis an 89-93 stunner the last time they played at the Pasay venue in 2024 at the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

Source: Philippine Star February 22, 2026 16:34 UTC