Gilas Boys overpower Singapore, set up decisive Pool A clash with Thailand

Gilas Pilipinas Boys extended its winning start in the 2026 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship SEABA Qualifiers, securing a second straight dominant victory with a 110–50 rout of Singapore on Thursday at Chan Ka Pho Gymnasium in Krabi, Thailand.

The win lifted the Philippines to 2–0 in Pool A and guaranteed a place in the crossover semifinals, alongside host nation Thailand men's national under-18 basketball team, which also advanced after an 81–55 victory over Vietnam later in the day.

Although both teams have already booked semifinal spots, Gilas and Thailand will still square off on Friday at 6 p.m. to determine final Pool A standings.

The Philippines controlled the game from the outset, opening a 28–11 lead and never allowing Singapore to recover. The decisive stretch came in the third quarter, where Gilas outscored its opponent 33–0 in a relentless display on both ends of the floor.

Prince Cariño paced the attack with 21 points, including nine in the third quarter, along with seven rebounds. Joaquin Tovera added 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals, while Pat Pasinos chipped in 13 points and six rebounds.

Kyle Sardon and Ziv Espinas contributed 11 and 10 points respectively, as head coach Juno Sauler saw all players get on the scoresheet.

Gilas had opened its campaign a day earlier with another emphatic win, defeating Vietnam 121–28.

Singapore, meanwhile, fell to 0–2 in Pool A, with Shabbir Shajan standing out as their only double-digit scorer with 14 points.