Photo credit: PBA | pba.ph & FIBA | fiba.basketball
World No. 40 and Asia’s No. 7 Gilas Pilipinas Men saw its bid for back-to-back Asian Games men’s basketball 5x5 gold medals suffer an early setback after Bahrain pulled off an 89-85 upset on Friday, September 11, at Aichi International Arena (IG Arena) in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. [FULL REPLAY VIDEO BY ONESPORTS]
Bahrain fielded four naturalized players for this year’s Asian Games, led by 6-foot-7 forward Jakarr Jordan Sampson, who came two assists shy of a triple-double with 24 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, and one steal in 34 minutes of play. Meanwhile, 6-foot-9 Elijah Thomas had 20 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the field and 3-of-10 from the free-throw line, along with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 25 minutes while 5-foot-11 guard Mustafa Rashed had 20 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal, shooting 4-of-11 from three-point range.
Bahrain controlled the game from the start, taking a 29-21 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 49-43 at halftime. The Bahrainis then delivered their biggest push in the third quarter, outscoring Gilas 27-18, to take a 76-61 lead entering the final period.
Gilas showed plenty of fight in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit and putting pressure on Bahrain down the stretch. However, the 15-point hole after three quarters proved too much to overcome as Bahrain held on for the 89-85 victory.
Calvin Oftana, who was a late replacement for the injured Justin Brownlee, paced the Philippines with a game-high 31 points, going 11-of-19 from the field, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, in 30 minutes of play. Adrian Nocum had a solid Gilas debut, finishing with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal, but was forced to leave the game after twisting his ankle when he stepped on Bahrain big man Elijah Thomas' foot.
Gilas Pilipinas will look to bounce back tomorrow, September 12, at 6:00 p.m. against Kazakhstan [LIVE], who also suffered a loss in their opening game, falling to China, 99-61.
NOTE: Visit this link for Asian Games 2026 Men's Basketball updates, the full schedule, standings, and more.
The Scores:
BAHRAIN 89 - Sampson 24, Thomas 20, M.Rashed 20, AlHaddad 7, Buallay 5, Alderazi 5, Ilic 3, Haji 3, Juma 2, Ajukwa 0, Bindayneh DNP, A.Rashed DNP.
PHILIPPINES 85 - Oftana 31, Nocum 14, Baltazar 10, Trollano 9, Arana 8, Ganuelas-Rosser 5, Abarrientos 4, Lucero 4, Bolick 0, Ahanmisi 0, Barefield 0, Bates 0.
Quarters: 29-21, 49-43, 76-61, 89-85. [FULL REPLAY VIDEO] | [FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS] | [FULL GAME STATS]
Matchup Preview:
Gilas Pilipinas will be led by PBA superstar Robert Bolick, who will be expected to take on a major offensive role. Bolick, who also emerged as one of the Philippines' key players during its gold medal run in the Southeast Asian Games, is averaging 17.67 points, 5.78 rebounds and 7.56 assists per game in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup. He will have plenty of firepower around him, with RJ Abarrientos, Sedrick Barefield, Justine Baltazar, Zavier Lucero, Adrian Nocum, Jerrick Ahanmisi and the rest of the PBA pool giving head coach Tim Cone multiple options on both ends of the floor.
Bahrain, however, enters the matchup with plenty of confidence after going unbeaten at 4-0 in the recent FIBA Asia Cup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers First Round. The Bahrainis are led by 6-foot-7 forward Jakarr Jordan Sampson, who averaged 17.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, while 5-foot-11 guard Mustafa Rashed has been their leading scorer at 18.0 points per game, along with 3.8 assists. Rashed has also been particularly dangerous from the perimeter, shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range in the four games. Sampson and Rashed were both coming off 20-point performances in Bahrain's 95-67 win over Kuwait that completed their unbeaten run. Sampson is joined by fellow naturalized players 6-foot-9 Elijah Thomas, 6-foot-7 Austin Ajukwa and 6-foot-10 Uros Ilic, giving Bahrain additional size and depth across its frontcourt.
Bahrain also has several other players capable of making an impact. Ahmed Haji, a 5-foot-9 guard, scored 21 points against Kuwait in Bahrain's final game of the window after knocking down five three pointers. He averaged 8.3 points per game during the four game run. Mohamed Buallay, a 6-foot-2 guard from Manama, provides additional size and playmaking in the backcourt and averaged 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in the latest tournament statistics, while shooting 83.3 percent from three point range.
With Gilas bringing a deeper and more experienced PBA lineup, the Philippines will look to control the tempo, make use of its speed and athleticism, and prevent Bahrain's leading scorers from getting comfortable. Bahrain's recent form, however, makes this an important early test for Gilas as it begins its quest for back to back Asian Games gold medals.
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