Gilas Pilipinas couldn’t keep up with the well-executed game plan of New Zealand and suffered an 88-63 loss Sunday, Feb. 27 in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Filipino cagers were outmatched by the all-around showing of the Tall Blacks while their shooting woes added more misery as they went down in defeat before a disappointed crowd at the Big Dome.

Coach Chot Reyes could only tip his hat on the quality performance that enabled New Zealand to go 2-0 in Group A.

“We kept ourselves in the ballgame until I think late in the third quarter. But, I couldn’t ask for anything more from our players, they came in and executed,” said Reyes. “Credit to New Zealand, they were able to pick apart our defensive schemes and that’s how it got reflected in the score of the ballgame.”

Japan-based players Thirdy Ravena and Dwight Ramos were again impressive, but not enough in preventing Gilas from splitting the two games of the February window.

Ravena put up 23 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals while Ramos had 18 points, 10 rebounds and three steals to provide a bit of silver lining for Gilas.

Five Tall Blacks scored in double figures with Tom Vodanovich and Dion Prewster making 20 points apiece and big man Rob Loe posting 15 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.

Taane Samuel, who played one season as a foreign student athlete for La Salle in the UAAP back in 2019, capitalized on the familiar surroundings and 12 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting.

New Zealand was in control from midway to the first quarter onwards as its good ball movement and physicality forced Gilas to play catch up.

Gilas trailed 40-30 at the half and tried to launch a comeback when Ravena launched a three-point shot to begin the third.

But the Kiwis scored seven straight to make it a 47-33 lead, before widening the gap even more late in the third by making 10 in a row that turned a 55-43 score into 65-43 which ended on a Takiula Fahrensohn triple, 1:18 in the period.

A basket by Ange Kouame and a stepback three by Ramos to end the third put Gilas behind 65-48 going into the fourth, but the deficit proved to be too much to overcome.

The scores:

NEW ZEALAND 88 — Prewster 20, Vodanovich 20, Loe 15, Samuel 12, Rusbatch 10, Harris 5, Fahrensohn 4, Britt 2, Gold 0, Cook-Green 0, Rodger 0, Wynyard 0.

PHILIPPINES 63 — Ravena 23, Ramos 18, Bolick 10, Kouame 5, Pogoy 4, Rosario 2, Williams 1, Erram 0, Gomez de Liano 0, Navarro 0, Tungcab 0.

Quarters: 22-19, 40-30, 65-48, 88-63.