Gilas title defense ends in a crushing loss to China at the Asian Games

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 14, 2026

Photo Courtesy: Asian Games

Gilas Pilipinas’ bid to defend its Asian Games basketball crown has come to a stunning end after China handed the Philippines a 44-point defeat, bringing its campaign to an abrupt close.

The loss was a painful reversal for Gilas, which entered the matchup hoping to keep its title-retention hopes alive after recovering from its opening-day defeat to Bahrain.

China proved too much for the Philippines, turning the game into a one-sided contest and exposing the gap between the two sides as Gilas struggled to keep pace against one of Asia’s traditional basketball powers.

The result is particularly disappointing for a Philippine team that arrived in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as the defending champion, carrying the expectations that came with its historic gold-medal run in the previous edition.

The defeat also comes after Gilas had entered the tournament with questions surrounding its defense and size. Those concerns had already surfaced during its preparations and opening game, with head coach Tim Cone acknowledging defensive struggles and the team’s size disadvantage.

Now, instead of another run at the gold medal, Gilas is left to regroup and assess what went wrong against China.

For Philippine basketball, the loss is more than just a bad night on the court. It is a reminder that defending a title in Asia requires not only talent and experience, but the depth, size and consistency to withstand the continent’s strongest teams.

The gold medal may be out of reach this time, but the lessons from this defeat could shape what comes next for Gilas Pilipinas.