A last-minute inclusion almost became Gilas Pilipinas’ last-minute solution.
But against the towering bigs of Bahrain, they needed more than just Calvin Oftana to reassert their reign.
The defending champions crawled from an early slump behind Oftana's 31-point effort off the bench, but ultimately fell short against a paint-dominant Bahrain, 85-89, enduring a tough start to their title defense at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan on Friday.
A quick two-point lead was all Gilas were given when they resurfaced from a 10-point deficit in the second frame before eventually running out of answers to Bahrain's frontcourt duo JaKarr Sampson and Elijah Thomas, who combined for a commanding 44 points in the match.
Despite being Gilas’ lone wolf, Oftana bit back as hard as he could from all angles, finishing with 59% from the field with 6-of-9 hailing from three-point range.
The Oftana-led Gilas showed a glimmer of hope in the final canto as a 61-76 deficit was slowly trimmed to a respectable nine-point margin with a minute to go, 80-89.
However, even after a Justine Baltazar two off the glass and Don Trollano transition triple, Gilas’ too-late storm could not suffice for their early mishaps as they fell just short of a comeback, letting Bahrain escape with the win, 85-89.
The loss puts the defending champions in a tough spot in Group C in third place, just above Kazakhstan, whom they will face next on September 12.
Written by Jueben Jake Palima, Insight PH
Jueben Jake Palima, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
