Philippines defeats Lebanon 107-96 in Bulacan in FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers without Kai Sotto
The 2.21m (7-ft-3) star opted to skip the Gilas Pilipinas' last set of FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers games to focus on his club career in Japan, but that was no issue for the national team on Friday.
Basketball
No Kai Sotto, no problem for the Gilas Pilipinas.
The Philippines men's national basketball team registered an easy 107–96 win over Lebanon in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in Bulacan on Friday (24 February), being behind for only 1 minute 4 seconds in the entire game.
Lebanon, sitting above the Philippines in Group E entering the game with a 7–1 record, suffered only their second defeat of the Qualifiers as they never got going at the Philippine Arena.
While the 2.21m (7-ft-3) Sotto, one of the stars of the Gilas Pilipinas side that has registered what is now a 6–3 qualifier record, opted out to focus on his club commitments with the Japan B. League Hiroshima Dragonflies, the national team showed they could still cope without him against what was, on paper, the stronger team in the clash.
However, led by Justin Donta Brownlee's 17 points in an all-round team effort, the Philippines were able to hold off a Lebanon team that by comparison relied heavily on four main scorers, with Amir Saoud leading the game with 27 points.
Lebanon only led early in the first quarter, and once the Philippines hit the front at 6–5, the hosts never looked back.
The Philippines has already qualified for the FIBA World Cup Finals as a co-host of the event, which takes place from 25 August to 10 September. Lebanon have also booked their spot.