Back-to-back victories over Jordan and Iran put the national team back in the qualification race, capped by a fitting farewell for one Filipino basketball great.
A then-difficult road to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup now looks a little less daunting for Gilas Pilipinas. The Philippines completed a perfect Window 4 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena—following an 82-81 overtime escape against Jordan on August 28—with a convincing 68-56 victory over Iran last August 30. The back-to-back wins moved the team to 4-4 in Group E of the Asian Qualifiers and kept its bid for a World Cup berth very much alive.
Although the national basketball representative had lost its previous two World Cup Qualifier meetings with the West Asian powerhouse, this time, the Filipinos fought back from another slow start before taking control of the contest. It was also the country’s first FIBA tournament victory over Iran since 2015, making the triumph a timely breakthrough against a recurring regional rival.
Defense delivers
If Window 4 offered a clue about how Gilas intends to fight its way to the World Cup, it came at the defensive end. The Philippines held Jordan and Iran to a combined 36 percent shooting across its two games. Against Iran, Gilas surrendered only 56 points, frustrating an opponent that had entered the window averaging well above that mark during the qualifiers. That defensive discipline proved crucial after Gilas entered the window on a four-game losing streak.
The turnaround began dramatically against Jordan. Gilas trailed 26-8 after the opening quarter before clawing its way back and forcing overtime. With the Philippines protecting a one-point advantage in the dying seconds, Kai Sotto blocked Abdullah Olajuwon’s potential game-winning attempt, sealing the 82-81 victory. Two nights later, there was far less late-game drama. Gilas pulled away from Iran to finish the window with two wins, along with renewed momentum.
Kai comes back—and comes up big
Kai Sotto’s return could hardly have been better timed. Back with Gilas after nearly two years away, the 7-foot-3 center immediately reminded Filipino fans what his size and skill can bring to the nation’s best roster. He recorded 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks against Jordan; then followed with 13 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists against Iran.
Across Window 4, Sotto averaged 15.5 points and 15 rebounds, providing Gilas with a commanding presence in the paint just as its qualification campaign needed one. His return also arrived at a symbolic moment for Gilas: as one towering Filipino big man returned to the international stage, another walked away from it.
June Mar’s final jersey
The victory over Iran doubled as the final Gilas game of June Mar Fajardo, closing a national-team career that stretched across 13 years. Fajardo scored 6 points and grabbed 2 rebounds in just over seven minutes in his farewell appearance, even helping spark Gilas’ second-quarter comeback after the Philippines fell behind early.
After the final buzzer, his teammates handed him the game ball at center court while the Mall of Asia Arena crowd sent him off with chants of “MVP.”
Fajardo first represented the senior national team at the same arena during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, when the Philippines secured its return to the World Cup after nearly four decades. He would go on to represent Gilas in three consecutive FIBA World Cups, play 70 senior-level FIBA games, and help the Philippines capture its historic 2023 Asian Games gold medal.
Now 36, the nine-time PBA MVP leaves believing the next generation is ready.
The fight isn’t finished
Two wins do not guarantee Gilas a ticket to the World Cup, but they have changed the complexion of its campaign. After four straight defeats, the Philippines finally found the combination it desperately needed: stronger stops, steadier execution, and a healthy Sotto anchoring the middle. Plus, with one Gilas great ending his run on a winning night, the team now turns toward the rest of qualification carrying something it did not have before Window 4: momentum.
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