Gilas 3x3 Holds Off Thailand's Late Push, Secures Spot in Asia Cup Main Draw

Gilas Pilipinas Men’s 3x3 withstood a late surge from Thailand, clinching a hard-fought 17–15 win to secure their place in the main draw of the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2026 on Thursday at OCBC Square in Singapore.

The Filipinos seemed to be in full control early, racing to a commanding 14–5 lead, capped by a clutch two-pointer from Ralph Cu, who nailed a deep shot over Chanatip Jakrawan as the shot clock expired.

However, momentum shifted as Thailand mounted a comeback, led by Jakrawan, who ignited a rally and capitalized on key mistakes by Gilas, including two turnovers from Sean Alter. A powerful dunk by Jakrawan closed the gap to 15–13, putting pressure on the Filipinos.

Jerrick Ahanmisi briefly gave Gilas some breathing room with a crucial two-pointer, but Thailand kept fighting. Freddie Lish, quiet for most of the game, suddenly found his rhythm, hitting back-to-back baskets to bring Thailand within two points, 17–15, as Gilas struggled to get clean looks.

A late shot clock violation gave Thailand a final chance to tie the game, but Lish's potential game-tying three-pointer missed the mark, allowing Gilas to escape with the win and move on.

Cu led the Philippines with six points, while Chris Koon added five and Ahanmisi scored four. Jakrawan led Thailand with seven points, and Lish chipped in five.

With this victory, Gilas advances to Pool A, where they will face Mongolia and Chinese Taipei on Saturday. They will play Mongolia at 6:40 p.m., followed by Chinese Taipei at 8:30 p.m.

This win marks a turnaround from last year, when Gilas failed to make it to the main draw after an early exit in the qualifiers.

Earlier, both teams had dominant performances against the Maldives to set up their crucial showdown. Alter led Gilas with 11 points in a 21–16 victory, while Lish exploded for 12 points, including five two-pointers, in Thailand’s 21–11 win.

In other news, the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team will kick off their campaign on Saturday, facing Tonga at 5:15 p.m. and the defending champions, Australia, at 8:05 p.m.

Photo Credits to FIBA