Kai Sotto Blocks the Game-Winner in His Gilas Return
Kai Sotto blocked a Jordanian drive at the buzzer on Friday night, sealing an 82-81 win for Gilas Pilipinas over Jordan at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. It was the opening game of the second round in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, and Sotto’s first appearance for the national team in almost two years, according to NBA.com’s live coverage of the window.
Down 18 Points In The First Half
Jordan opened the game with a run that put Gilas down by as many as 18 points. The Philippines trailed 44-39 at halftime, with Sotto contributing seven points and five rebounds in his first two quarters back with the team. AJ Edu and Carl Tamayo led the team in scoring during that stretch with eight points each.
The Sequence That Sealed It
The win came in overtime. In the extra period, Sotto’s tip-in gave Gilas the lead with 42 seconds remaining. Kevin Quiambao followed with a three-pointer that pushed the margin to three points with 13 seconds left. Jordan’s Freddy Ibrahim answered from the free-throw line to cut the deficit to one, setting up the final possession. Sotto closed it out by rejecting Jordan’s last attempt at the rim as time expired.
Sotto finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds, a block, and a steal. CJ Perez added 16 points, while Dwight Ramos and Quiambao each scored 14. For Jordan, Ibrahim led all scorers with 22 points, followed by Jalen Harris with 19 and Abdullah Olajuwon with 17.
Where Gilas Stands In The Qualifiers
Gilas entered the game at 2-4 in the qualifiers. Jordan came in at 5-1. The win moves the Philippines to 3-4 and drops Jordan to 5-2. The team played without naturalized player Justin Brownlee, who missed the window while recovering from injury.
Sotto’s last appearance for the national team before Friday came on November 11, 2024, in a FIBA Asia Cup qualifier against Hong Kong. Gilas faces Iran next on Sunday, August 30, at the same venue.
