Gilas Pilipinas began the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup with back-to-back losses against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand, both teams establishing early leads through strong three-point shooting. Despite a challenging start, the Philippine team rallied to secure their first win against Iraq with a 66-57 victory, led by Dwight Ramos who scored 21 points and grabbed five rebounds. This win allowed Gilas Pilipinas to advance to the qualification round for the quarterfinals, where they faced host Saudi Arabia. In a closely contested match that went into overtime, Gilas Pilipinas emerged victorious with a 95-88 win, propelled by Justin Brownlee's 29 points and clutch three-pointer that forced overtime. Kevin Quiambao also contributed key shots in the extra period. The victory set up a quarterfinal clash against two-time defending champion Australia, marking their first meeting since a 2018 brawl. The team will face challenges ahead, including the loss of CJ Perez to an apparent ankle injury. Coach Tim Cone emphasized the importance of overcoming Australia to achieve success in the tournament. Gilas Pilipinas aims to improve on their previous Asia Cup performance as they seek a semifinal berth. Meanwhile, the Asia Cup host Saudi Arabia finished second in Group C to meet the Philippines in the knockout stage. The upcoming match against Australia features four former NBA players on the Australian side, highlighting the competitive nature of the quarterfinals.