Tall Blacks Triumph, Stifle Gilas’ Brownlee in 69-66 Win

New Zealand’s Tall Blacks clamped down on Justin Brownlee and escaped with a 69-66 victory over Gilas Pilipinas in a bruising FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers clash on February 26 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. In a game defined more by defensive grit than attacking rhythm, the visitors’ singular focus on neutralising Gilas’ most dangerous weapon proved decisive.

The result handed New Zealand its first win of the window after two earlier losses to Australia, while Gilas absorbed a setback at home despite a spirited late rally in front of a fervent Manila crowd.

Defensive Plan Centers on Brownlee

From the opening tip, the Tall Blacks made their intentions unmistakable: Brownlee would not beat them. The naturalised forward, who had torched New Zealand for 37 points in a previous meeting last August, was held to just four points on 2-of-10 shooting, committing four turnovers in a rare off night.

New Zealand coach Judd Flavell made no attempt to downplay the strategy.

“Justin Brownlee, we kept him quiet, I think he had four points, we know the damage that he can do. He’s given us the business before in recent games, and so he was a large focus, focal point for us, and I thought that went a long way for us defensively tonight,” Flavell said.

Brownlee found little space to operate in Gilas’ half-court sets. Passing lanes closed quickly. Double teams arrived on the catch. Even routine drives were met with layered help defense. The Tall Blacks committed what Flavell estimated was “80 percent” of their preparation to containing him — and the payoff was clear on the scoreboard.

A Grind It Out Contest

The match never found aesthetic flow. New Zealand shot just 38 percent from the field, and Gilas struggled to establish rhythm in its triangle offense.

“We came here to get the win. And we got the job done. It wasn’t pretty, it was not a beautiful game of basketball to watch… but at the end of the day, I thought we really stood up well defensively,” Flavell said.

Sam Mennenga anchored the paint with 10 points and 14 rebounds, while Max Darling and Alex McNaught added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Their combined effort helped New Zealand build a lead that stretched to 11 points, forcing Gilas to chase the game deep into the fourth quarter.

Late Rally Falls Short

Gilas refused to fold. Dwight Ramos scored 16 points, CJ Perez added 15, and Juan Gomez de Liano contributed 10 as the hosts clawed back into contention.

Inside the final minute, the arena roared as Gilas trimmed the deficit to just two points—twice within the final 45.2 seconds. But each surge met resistance. Defensive stops and composed possessions allowed New Zealand to seal the three-point victory.

Gilas coach Tim Cone acknowledged that the Tall Blacks’ pressure disrupted their offensive rhythm.

“We didn’t run as much triangle over there, we probably should have ran more, but they did a good job of disrupting us,” Cone said.

He added: “I hate to say it, but we’re going to continue to learn as we go forward… We want to win games.”

A Familiar Rivalry

The tactical battle carried echoes of their Asia Cup meeting last year, when Brownlee’s 37-point explosion powered Gilas. This time, familiarity worked in New Zealand’s favour. The defensive coverage was layered and disciplined, frequently forcing Gilas’ secondary options to create under pressure.

For the Tall Blacks, the victory steadied their qualifying campaign after a difficult first window against Australia. For Gilas, the loss complicated an already demanding schedule.

What Comes Next

Gilas Pilipinas is set to face Australia on February 28, again under the bright lights of international qualification. New Zealand travels to Mangilao to meet a Guam side missing key pieces.

While the defeat carries no impact beyond the sport itself — the game was confined to Metro Manila’s Mall of Asia Arena and governed by FIBA regulations under the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas — it struck at something less tangible but deeply felt: the expectations of a basketball-obsessed nation.

On this night, however, disciplined defense trumped home-court passion. The Tall Blacks reduced Gilas’ most potent threat to a whisper, and in a contest where every possession felt like a small skirmish, that proved enough.