BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Do not expect the Philippines and New Zealand to slack off when they face each other in Window 3 of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
The proud programs have already punched their tickets to the continental showpiece last November, yes, but that doesn't stop the two from going all out in the upcoming February window as both are coming in hungry to prove something.
Game is set February 23 at the Spark Arena in Auckland, with homecourt edge in favor of a Tall Blacks side bent on getting back at Gilas after what happened the last time out at the latter's stomping grounds at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
For starters, New Zealand suffered a 93-89 stunner, absorbing not only their first loss of the Qualifiers but the end of an unbeaten four-game winning streak against the Filipino dribblers that dated back to the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Vengeful 12-man NZ crew
That's why it came as a no-brainer when Basketball New Zealand announced its 12-man lineup for Window 3 through their official website just last February 7.
Half of which suited up last November, namely, Corey Webster, Sam Waardenburg, Max Darling, Taylor Britt, Walter Brown, and Kaia Isaac, with the experienced troika of Jordan Ngatai, Tohi Smith-Milner, and Reuben Te Rangi in the fold as well.
Completing the squad of head coach Judd Flavell are injury replacement Tai Wynyard plus the tandem of potential debutants in Jackson Ball and Tama Isaac.
This cooks up to be the mix that the Tall Blacks hope would be able to carry out the mission of taking down the Philippines, although much of the attention will surely be on the duo of Webster and Waardenburg after giving Gilas the fits.
In their previous meeting, Webster nailed tough shots with ease on his way to 25 points, spiked by a 5-of-6 clip from three-point distance, and 6 assists.
Waardenberg, on the other hand, came through with nearly a double-double as he finished with 19 points and 7 rebounds, together with a pair of blocks.
Who steps up in lieu of Kai?
With him and the presence of other bigs like Smith-Milner around, expect New Zealand to impose their might more within the paint, with Gilas missing Kai Sotto.
Coach Tim Cone won't have the luxury of having the towering slotman in this rematch after the latter went down with an ACL injury last January, which has kept him out for the rest of the 2025 season, at least - including the Asia Cup proper.
Without any question, it leaves a gaping hole upfront for the Philippine team, especially given the fact that he starred in that historic win against the Tall Blacks.
There, Sotto displayed all-around brilliance and finished with 19 points on a solid 8-of-14 shooting from the field, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, a steal, and a pair of blocked shots in nearly 33 minutes of action on the way to netting an efficiency of 31 .
As challenging as it may seem, Gilas will be relying on chemistry in an attempt to repeat against their budding rivals, for the steps they'll be taking from here on out beneficial for a team starting to build up for the continental meet in August.
They're sure to keep the same squad from previous windows intact, with Jamie Malonzo and AJ Edu expected to compete this time after recovering from injuries.
One key addition to Cone's Gilas is Troy Rosario, who's called up for national team duties for the first time since 2022 - indeed a key inclusion given his experience in the international stage that includes a 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup stint.
So, can the Philippines snatch one on the road and make it two in a row? Or will New Zealand devise the best possible plan to earn payback? The only thing that can be expected, though, is that we may be in for another banger of a match.
FIBA