Gilas routs Kazakhstan, stays alive in Asian Games quarterfinals race

FILE – Robert Bolick with a breakout game for Gilas Pilipinas in a game against Kazakhstan in the Asian Games 2026 men’s basketball. –FIBA

MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas kept its quarterfinal hopes alive in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 men’s basketball 5-on-5 event after blowing out Kazakhstan, 109-78, on Saturday.

Robert Bolick finally delivered a big performance while a barrage of threes in the fourth quarter enabled Gilas to slam the door shut on Kazakhstan and barge into the win column in Group C.

Jerrick Ahanmisi sizzled for seven three-pointers on his way to 22 points while Bolick scored 13 of his 20 points despite being a game-time decision with a knee injury and struggling since the two-game exhibition series with South Korea in Suwon the previous weekend.

FILE–Gilas Pilipinas men’s Jerrick Ahanmisi. –FIBA 3×3

The Philippines improved to 1-1, bouncing back from a 69-65 loss to Bahrain the previous day in a rough start to its quest to defend the gold it won three years ago in Hangzhou, China.

Bahrain was beaten, 105-59, by China earlier in the day, giving the Chinese side a 2-0 slate and the group lead.

Gilas also gained an inside track in the race for two of the three best third-place slots, tying Iran of Group B while ahead of Group A’s Saudi Arabia, which has a 0-2 slate.

Next up for Gilas is China, with plenty of implications for its chances of getting out of the group stage.

Three other players scored in double figures for Gilas in Calvin Oftana, Sedrick Barefield and Zavier Lucero.

Oftana had a modest 12-point output after going off for 31 against Bahrain, Barefield had 11 points on top of four rebounds and five assists while Lucero added 10 points and nine rebounds.