Gilas vs New Zealand Full Game Highlights and Complete Match Analysis
Watching the Gilas vs New Zealand full game highlights last night, I couldn't help but feel that familiar mix of pride and frustration that comes with being a longtime Philippine basketball fan. The game showcased exactly why our national team remains one of Asia's most exciting squads, yet also revealed the significant challenges ahead as we prepare for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. That fourth-quarter comeback attempt, where we trimmed a 15-point deficit to just 4 with three minutes remaining, demonstrated the heart that defines Gilas basketball. But the final score of 88-79 in New Zealand's favor also showed we still have work to do against world-class competition.
What struck me most throughout the game was how our players seemed to run out of steam during critical moments. This observation connects directly to what analysts have been emphasizing recently - that recuperating in time may be the biggest hurdle right in front of Gilas Pilipinas as we begin this crucial preparation phase. Our players are coming off various professional league schedules, with some having just finished the PBA Commissioner's Cup finals barely two weeks ago. The physical toll is evident when you watch those defensive rotations slow down in the third quarter, or when our shooters' legs seem to give out on those crucial three-point attempts. I've followed this team for over a decade, and this pattern of fatigue affecting performance isn't new, but with the quality of international basketball rising exponentially, it's becoming increasingly costly.
The statistical breakdown tells a compelling story about where the game was won and lost. We actually outrebounded New Zealand 42-38, which is impressive considering their size advantage. Our bench contributed 28 points compared to their 22, showing our depth isn't the issue. The real difference came in transition defense - we allowed 18 fastbreak points while only scoring 6 ourselves. Those easy baskets they got every time we turned the ball over or took contested early shots ultimately decided the game. Watching the Gilas vs New Zealand full game highlights back, I counted at least five instances where we had defensive breakdowns immediately after scoring plays, suggesting our conditioning needs work.
From my perspective, what makes this particular loss different from previous ones is the context of our preparation timeline. We're exactly 18 months away from the FIBA Asia Cup, and every game matters in building towards that tournament. The coaching staff needs to find the right balance between giving players sufficient rest and maintaining competitive sharpness. I remember during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, we had a similar issue where players were coming off tough PBA schedules, yet the coaching staff managed their minutes brilliantly throughout the tournament, leading to that memorable silver medal finish. We need similar strategic planning now.
What encourages me though is the individual brilliance we witnessed throughout the Gilas vs New Zealand matchup. Kai Sotto's 17 points and 9 rebounds against a physical frontcourt shows his development is on track. Dwight Ramos' all-around game of 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists demonstrates why he's become indispensable to the national program. And Jordan Clarkson's 24-point explosion in just 28 minutes reminds us what world-class talent looks like. These performances give me hope that with proper recovery protocols and strategic rest periods, this team can compete with anyone in Asia.
The road to Jeddah 2025 will require careful management of our players' health and energy levels. We have at least 12 more international games scheduled before the Asia Cup, including the FIBA World Cup qualifiers and potentially the Asian Games if they're rescheduled. That's a grueling calendar for athletes who are already playing year-round for their professional clubs. The basketball community needs to understand that sometimes resting key players in certain tournaments might be necessary for long-term success. I'd rather see us field a slightly weakened team in minor competitions if it means our core players are fresh and healthy for the Asia Cup.
Looking at the bigger picture, this Gilas vs New Zealand contest served as both reality check and confidence builder. We confirmed we can hang with Oceania's best, but also recognized the adjustments needed to consistently beat them. The 62% free throw shooting needs work. The 16 turnovers are concerning. But the fightback from double-digit deficits shows character. As we move forward in this preparation phase, I believe the coaching staff will address these issues while managing player workload intelligently. The journey to Jeddah continues, and despite the loss, I'm more optimistic than ever about our chances in 2025.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
