HOOPS

Korea demolishes Gilas anew

Mark Escarlote · Sep 7, 2026, 5:24 AM

JUSTIN Arana and Gilas Pilipinas fail to stop Yeo Jun-Seok and the Korean national team from scoring a 69-42 victory in their second exhibition match on Sunday in Suwon. — Photograph courtesy of Korea Basketball Association

Gilas Pilipinas has a lot of work to do after its tune-up matches against South Korea yielded disappointing results.

The Philippines suffered a 42-69 beating at the hands of the host squad in the last of its two friendlies on Sunday at the Hana Bank Invitational in Suwon City.

Gilas just couldn’t get their shooting going after a low 16-of-61 field goal clip, connected on only three triples, and turned the ball over 16 times.

Korea’s defense limited the all-Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Gilas squad to just four points on its way to blowing out the Filipinos, whose gold medal defense in the coming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has been put in doubt by its performance in the buildup.

Gilas also got pummeled by the Koreans, 55-81, last Friday.

Zav Lucero was the lone Gilas player in double-figure scoring with 14 points and six rebounds. Adrian Nocum had nine points while Sedrick Barefield and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser posted seven points each.

Justine Baltazar went scoreless after putting up 15 in the first friendly but was able to pull down 10 rebounds and dished out three assists.

Robert Bolick’s presence was barely felt with only two points under his name while guard RJ Abarrientos was scoreless.

Gilas got buried 8-38 with 3:29 left in the second quarter as Korea cruised the rest of the way.

Yu Ki-sang led Korea with 15 points he collected from a crisp 5-of-8 three-point shooting while Yeo Jun-seok added 14 points.

Gilas is set to fly to Nagoya today for the final stretch of its preparation.