Gilas Pilipinas Stuns Latvia: A Historic Upset in FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

In a thrilling showdown at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Gilas Pilipinas achieved an extraordinary feat by upsetting world No. 6 Latvia. The Philippine national basketball team secured an 89-80 victory, marking their first win against a European team in an official FIBA competition since 19601.

The Game

Date: July 3, 2024 (Manila time)
Venue: Arena Riga, Latvia

Key Performers

Justin Brownlee: The versatile forward delivered a near triple-double performance, contributing 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. His timely buckets down the stretch secured the win for Gilas.
Kai Sotto: The young center stepped up with 18 points and 8 rebounds, providing crucial support alongside Brownlee.
The Shocking VictoryGilas Pilipinas raced to an 8-0 lead early in the game, setting the tone for their dominant performance.
CJ Perez’s buzzer-beating three-pointer extended the lead to 32-16 after the first quarter.
Despite Latvia’s fourth-quarter comeback attempt, the Philippines held on to secure the historic win.

Coach Tim Cone’s Surprise

Coach Tim Cone expressed his shock during the post-game press conference, emphasizing that this victory was unexpected. He had motivated the team to aim not just for a single win but to win the entire tournament1.
Olympic Dreams Alive

With this upset, Gilas Pilipinas keeps their hopes alive for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The Filipino fans celebrate this remarkable achievement, and the team now eyes the knockout stage2.

Stay tuned as Gilas continues their journey in pursuit of Olympic glory!

🇵🇭 GILAS PILIPINAS TAKE DOWN WORLD No 6! 😱#FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/H6K7RE91B6

— FIBA (@FIBA) July 3, 2024

🇵🇭 Gilas Pilipinas upset Latvia and claim their first win against European opposition in an official FIBA competition since 1960! #FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/hwhSkvMTP1

— FIBA (@FIBA) July 3, 2024