BASKETBALL: Gilas ends Asian Games title defense after 44-point defeat to China

MANILA – China pounded Gilas Pilipinas, 105-61, Monday, sending the reigning Asian Games champion packing even before the quadrennial meet officially opens in Nagoya, Japan.

Power forward Wang Junjie, who played college ball at University of San Francisco and University of Massachusetts, led the Chinese assault early on, scoring 14 points in the first half when the team sat on a 36-point lead, 66-30.

The Philippines entered the Group C game at Aichi International Arena carrying a +27-point differential, meaning a 37-point loss or less would still be enough to send Gilas to the knockout quarterfinals.

But China couldn’t care less as it probably still remembers its semifinal loss to the Philippines at the 2023 Hangzhou Asiad.

Wang finished with a double-double of 20 points and 14 rebounds, Liao Sanning added 14, and Hu Mingxuan with 13 for the undefeated China, which heads to the quarterfinals as the No. 1 seed against No. 8 Saudi Arabia.

Gilas lost its opening match to Bahrain on Friday, 85-89, but recovered the following day against Kazakhstan, 109-78.

Jordan, which Gilas beat for the gold in Hangzhou, benefitted the most as it was -11 prior to the China-Philippines contest.

Under the format, the two best third-placed squads will join the top two teams from each group to the next round.

Jordan was the other country in contention aside from Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

In Group A, Korea defeated rival Japan, 100-83, for a similar 3-0 card. Both have qualified for the next round.

All quarterfinal matches will be played Wednesday and the semifinals on Friday. The bronze medal match and the final will be on Sept. 20 after the previous day's opening ceremony. (PBA Media/PNA)