Photo credit: PBA

Gilas Pilipinas just learned the hard way that basketball games aren’t won in three quarters. After keeping things close for most of the night, the Filipinos simply couldn’t keep up in the final stretch, as Lebanon erupted in the fourth quarter to deal them a stinging 75-54 defeat in the 2nd Doha Invitational Cup early Sunday (Manila time) at the Qatar University Sports and Events Complex.

With Gilas trailing by just one, 51-50, after an AJ Edu putback, the Cedars suddenly flipped the switch. Jad Khalil, James Majok, Gerard Hadidian, and Karim Zeinoun unleashed a blistering 14-2 run in the first five minutes of the final period, leaving the Philippines in the dust. By the time the smoke cleared, Lebanon had completely outscored Gilas in the quarter, 24-6.

Even naturalized star Justin Brownlee, who put up a solid 21-point, 11-rebound effort, couldn’t find his usual magic touch in that crucial stretch. The Filipinos had no answer as Lebanon pulled away for good, handing Gilas its first loss in the three-game friendly series.

Gilas had shown its resilience in its opening game, rallying from an 11-point deficit to beat Qatar, 74-71. But against Lebanon, they ran out of gas. Calvin Oftana was the only local player to score in double figures with 10, while Scottie Thompson battled hard for 11 rebounds and seven points.

On the other hand, Lebanon proved they didn’t need top stars Wael Arakji and Omari Spellman to dominate. Khalil led the way with 18 points, including three triples, while Hadidian matched him with 18 and eight boards. Majok and Zeinoun combined for 25 points and 16 rebounds, helping Lebanon bounce back from their opening-night loss to Egypt.

With one game left in the Doha Invitational Cup, Gilas will need to regroup fast. The question now is: can they shake off this tough loss and end the tournament on a high note?