Gilas Pilipinas secured a spot in the final match of the men's 5-on-5 basketball tournament of the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
The Philippines remain alive in the competition after surviving Indonesia, 84-76, on Monday, May 15, at the Morodok Techo Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Justin Brownlee scored 34 points and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser added 13 points for the Filipinos to continue their campaign to regain the SEA Games gold medal, which they lose to Indonesia in the 2021 edition of the biennal sports event.
Brownlee buried a pair of three-pointers that allowed Gilas Pilipinas to take the lead, 76-74, in the final period.
With less than a minute left in the game, Brownlee and Chris Newsome made a series of free throws to wrap-up the 14-point run that secured the win for the Philippines.
Lester Prosper finished with 26 points, and Anthony Beane chipped in 12 points the defending champions got relegated to the bronze medal match against Thailand.
Gilas Pilipinas now prepares to once again face the host team, Cambodia, which defeated the Filipinos, 79-68, during the group stage and remains undefeated in the tournament, on Tuesday, May 16.
