Belangel hits off-balanced game-winner as Gilas stuns Korea

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 8:19 p.m.) — SJ Belangel hit a tough game-winning triple as Gilas Pilipinas shocked South Korea, 81-78, in their FIBA Asia Cup qualifying match at the AUF Gym on Wednesday.

SJ FTW! ????

Wagi ang Gilas Pilipinas ???????? kontra South Korea ????????81-78 sa 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers dahil sa game-winning three ni SJ Belangel!#FIBAAsiaCup pic.twitter.com/J3D0XfehtO

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) June 16, 2021

Their first win over South Korea since 2013, the all-cadet squad trailed by as much as 17 points early in the game before chipping away at the lead to punch their ticket to the Asia Cup set in Indonesia later this year.

Gilas first-timers Ange Kouame, Carl Tamayo, and RJ Abarrientos all made crucial plays in the pivotal third quarter that moved the Gilas within one, 56-57, heading into the fourth quarter.

The National hoopers held a lead as big as five in the middle of the fourth quarter, 64-59.

But the Koreans wouldn't go away and even turned the tables and had their own five-point lead, 75-70 off of a Jeon Seonghyen with 2:27 ticks left.

However, Gilas would go on a 8-0 run to take control of the game with 10 seconds left in the game.

While a Lee Hyunjung triple knotted the game with two ticks remaining, Belangel's game-winner ultimately downed the Koreans.

Dwight Ramos topscored for Gilas with a team-high 16 points while the debuting Kouame and Kai Sotto had 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Belangel finished with 13 points along with the game-winner.