2023 SEA Games men's basketball: Gilas Pilipinas finals bound after 84-76 comeback win over Indonesia
The Philippines will face Cambodia for a second time in the Southeast Asian Games basketball final after exacting perfect revenge over last year's winners Indonesia at the Morodok Techno National Stadiuam in Phnom Penh.
Basketball
The Philippines men’s basketball team have booked their place in the 2023 SEA Games tournament final after coming from behind to defeat defending champions Indonesia 84-76 in the semi-final at the Morodok Techno National Stadium on Monday (15 May).
Man-of-the-hour Justin Brownlee came alive in the final quarter to urge the Gilas Pilipinas over the line, finishing the game with 34 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
The Philippines had trailed for most of the game until Brownlee hit eight straight points, including two three-pointers, to hand his side a 78-74 lead with just 1:41 minutes remaining.
From there, the Gilas were able to hold on as the game entered its dying moments, exacting the perfect revenge over the side that had dethroned them at in the last edition of the SEA Games.
"Man, they were a tough team," Philippines' Brandon Roser said to Olympics.com post-match.
"They've got good players over there and they run a good system. So we knew it was going to be a 40-minute match, they just weren't going to go away, so we stuck together and got the job done."
With the victory over Indonesia, the Philippines will now seek to complete its redemption campaign against Cambodia in the final.
Earlier in the competition, the Gilas slipped up against the hosts falling 68-79 during the second preliminary group stage match.
On the prospect of tomorrow's final clash, Roser said:
"This is what we came here to do, to be in the gold medal match and now we're there, we've just got to rest up tonight and prepare for the game tomorrow.
"It will be a whole new game, not about the past. They beat us before, but we've got over it and we need to stick together like we did today and get the job done."
Southeast Asian Games 2023 men's basketball final: Philippines to face Cambodia
Earlier in the afternoon, Cambodia booked their first-ever spot in the SEA Games men's basketball final after defeating Thailand 76-66 in an intense showdown.
Peterson Brandon Jerome led the way with 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists and was joined in double digits by Dwayne Morgan and Pridgett Sayeedalkabir who scored 14 points each.
The hosts, proud of their history-making, are now hoping to deliver a victory in the final over the Philippines to cap off their Games in style.
Speaking exclusively to Olympics.com Morgan said: "Whoever it is [we meet in the final], we just have to keep doing what we did today. If we stay united and keep it together like we did today, we can go all the way."
Where to watch Gilas Pilipinas at SEA Games 2023
The host broadcaster in Cambodia is Cambodia Sports Television (CSTV).
The SEA Games in Singapore is available to watch on their dedicated mewatch channels.
In Thailand, SEA Games coverage is via the TV Pool 3HD, 5HD, 7HD, MCOT HD, NBT2HD, GMM25, PPTV HD and T Sports.