Gilas Pilipinas guard Chris Newsome throughout a sport towards New Zealand within the Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers in Auckland.–FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Even when Gilas Pilipinas misplaced their final sport within the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers, the Philippine group nonetheless really feel like they gained with the quantity of help they obtained.
On Sunday, Gilas misplaced to New Zealand, 87-70, on the Kiwis’ house soil in entrance of a divisive crowd that mainly subdued no matter house court docket benefit they thought they’d have.
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Chris Newsome wasn’t in any respect stunned with the quantity of Filipinos that turned up and stayed to observe Gilas regardless of the sport being a blowout loss.
READ: Gilas’ Tim Cone, Kiwi coach overwhelmed by ‘wonderful’ crowd
“My coach from my membership group Nenad (Vucinic) has informed me quite a bit about New Zealand and the individuals right here and to have the ability to see that firsthand, he’s undoubtedly proper,” mentioned the Meralco star.
“What you noticed within the crowd tonight was a Filipino staple.”
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Motivated by quite a few OFWs in attendance, Newsome spearheaded the Philippines with a team-high 13 factors constructed on an environment friendly 50 % capturing clip.
That, nevertheless, wasn’t sufficient because the Tall Blacks had way more firepower led by Tohi Smith-Milner.
READ: Gilas must be higher on protection from get-go, says Newsome
Nonetheless, even when Smith-Milner shot the lights out and sank photographs that might’ve despatched a capability crowd in silence. Not the Filipinos contained in the Spark Area, although.
“Irrespective of the place you go on the planet, you’re going to see the Filipino individuals present up for his or her basketball group and I believe you noticed that tonight.”
“Though we didn’t come out with the win, you possibly can see that we have been nonetheless capable of carry pleasure throughout these Filipino individuals, whether or not they’re right here or again house. I believe that speaks volumes on how passionate the Philippines is about basketball.”
If Newsome’s sentiments nonetheless ring true a couple of months from now, then Gilas Pilipinas shall be buoyed by enormous Filipino help in August once they get their 2025 Asia Cup marketing campaign getting into Saudi Arabia.
