JUAN Gomez de Liaño provided some sparks of resistance for the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team when they fought and lost to the New Zealand Tall Black on Friday.
De Liano’s timely baskets in the second and third quarter kept the game close and this may have solidified his spot in the roster.
Coach Tim Cone said this following their close, 66-69 setback to the Kiwis in the second window of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
“He was a spark off the bench. I just don’t know what kind of lineup that I will have on Sunday,” said Cone, who plans to give De Liano a bigger role in the team when they face Australia next.
De Liano is back in the national squad, following a four-year absence from the national team. He made his presence felt against New Zealand, scoring 5 points in his first three minutes and finishing with 10 points and 2 assists.
His triple in the last 1:54 of the third period, saw Gilas coming to within 46-50, while his floater in the remaining 8:25 of the fourth, saw Team Philippines fighting their way of a 10-point disadvantage, 53-61.
The Tall Blacks went on to waste an 11-point lead before Reuben Te Rangi split his foul shots to win the game.
This gave New Zealand their first win in three games, while Philippines suffered its first defeat after a 2-0 start, denying them from booking an early trip to the second round.
Australia assured themselves a spot in the second round following a 93-80 victory over Guam in the Window 2 opener Thursday evening.
Debuting Tanner Krebs starred for Australia with 28 points, and is expected to be a factor, going into their match with Gilas this Sunday.
