HANGZHOU, China – The Philippines produced what could go down as one of its greatest basketball wins in the history of Asian Games with a tense-filled 70-60 victory over Jordan Friday, Oct. 6, at the Hangzhou Olympic Gymnasium here.

Jeered and all, Gilas worked behind its nifty plays plus rock-solid defense in the final half to finally capture the gold every Filipino desired to win since a series of misfortunes befell every PH team formed in the past.

But this title win was perhaps the sweetest of them all after being formed barely two weeks before the continental showpiece started on Sept. 23.

Heroes came in different sizes for Team PH as Ange Kouame, Justin Browlee, Scottie Thompson and Chris Newsome played their hearts out almost the entire game to end the country's hunger for Asian basketball glory.

So after the final buzzer sounded, the Nationals, along with the teams whooped it up at the center court –– all emotional with the win that came 61 years since the country last triumphed in the sport very close to Filipinos.

Even those in the bleachers celebrated with glee, some were crying for sheer joy.

Chants of “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas” echoed inside the coliseum while PH supporters proudly waved mini PH flags.

It was the country’s 5^th gold and 8^th overall since ruling the first four stagings of the event – the last in 1962, a team then spearheaded by the great Caloy Loyzaga. 

The last time Team PH won a medal – a bronze – came in the 1998 Bangkok edition when the Centennial Team, also handled by Tim Cone, beat Kazakhstan, 73-68.

Again, it was Brownlee who led all scorers for Team PH with 20 points, but the one who nailed the telling ones was Kouame, who tallied 14, the bulk of them came in the fourth period that enabled them to pull away for good.

It was a big day for Team PH as Jiu-jitsu star Annie Ramirez triumphed against a familiar foe early in the day.