Beyond The Sidelines

Author: Rochelle Acepcion

  • The Kraken – Fajardo Takes His Final Bow With Gilas

    The Kraken – Fajardo Takes His Final Bow With Gilas

    June Mar Fajardo gave his farewell as he closed his 13-year chapter with Gilas Pilipinas, ending his national team career with a 68-56 victory over Iran in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers at the Mall of Asia Arena.

    The 36-year-old big man received cheers from the home crowd in his final game. Despite playing just seven minutes and five seconds, Fajardo contributed six points and two rebounds.

    Iran led 18-7 after the first quarter, but Gilas Pilipinas fought back and took a 36-34 halftime lead. The Philippines then pulled away in the fourth quarter with a 14-2 run to secure the win and sweep the fourth window of the qualifiers.

    The victory improved Gilas Pilipinas to 4-4 in Group E, keeping the team in contention for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

    For Fajardo, the night marked the end of a 13-year national team career. He finished with 70 FIBA games and was part of the Philippine team that won gold at the 2022 Asian Games.

    June Mar Fajardo walked away from Gilas Pilipinas with a victory in front of the home crowd, making his final game a fitting farewell.

  • Gilas Pilipinas: Too Late, or Just Getting Started?

    Gilas Pilipinas: Too Late, or Just Getting Started?

    Gilas Pilipinas may have found its rhythm at a crucial point in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. But one question remains: did it come too late?

    The Philippines completed a crucial Window 4 sweep. Gilas defeated Jordan, 82-81, before beating Iran, 68-56, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

    The two wins pushed Gilas to a 4-4 record in Group E. More importantly, they kept the Philippines’ World Cup hopes alive.

    Gilas Still Has Ground to Cover

    Despite the strong finish, Gilas remains fifth in the group. Iran and Jordan are both at 5-3.

    That leaves the Philippines just one win behind the teams currently in third and fourth place.

    The timing of the turnaround makes the situation more complicated. Gilas struggled in the earlier windows. Those results have left the team with little room for mistakes.

    Momentum Comes at the Right Time

    Still, Gilas has shown that it can compete under pressure.

    Against Jordan, the Philippines escaped with an overtime victory. The team then overcame an early 18-7 deficit against Iran.

    Gilas eventually pulled away in the second half to secure the 68-56 win.

    Kai Sotto has also emerged as an important piece of the team’s campaign. Against Iran, he recorded 13 points and 16 rebounds.

    Juan Gomez de Liaño and Dwight Ramos also added 16 points each.

    Two Windows Remain

    Gilas still has two qualifying windows to make its push.

    The remaining windows are scheduled for November 2026 and February 2027. The top three teams in each group will qualify for the World Cup. The best fourth-place team will also advance, alongside host Qatar.

    That leaves the Philippines with a chance to climb the standings.

    Is It Too Late?

    Not yet.

    But after starting 4-4, Gilas can no longer afford to treat every game as just another qualifier.

    The Window 4 sweep gave the Philippines valuable momentum. The challenge now is to maintain it.

    Gilas has given itself another chance. Now, it has to make it count.