Defending champions Philippines are out of 2026 Asian Games after blowout loss to China

Dubai: Philippines are out of the 2026 Asian Games after a disappointing loss against China. They suffered a 105-61 blowout defeat at Aichi International Arena, Japan.

Gilas Pilipinas had the chance of reaching the quarterfinals as it could only afford a loss of 37 points. However, their 44-point deficit loss ended all hopes of defending their gold medal as the Philippines now head home after a disappointing group stage.

They only won one game at the tournament after their opening match loss against Bahrain. Philippines did manage to overcome Kazakhstan before their final blow against China.

Gilas Pilipinas finished in the third position of the Group C. Their -17-point difference is far worse than Saudi Arabia and Jordan, both of whom finished at the same position in their respective groups.

The disastrous Asian Games of Philippines comes as a shocker since they had won the gold medal four years ago. They are one of the most decorated basketball nations at the games, winning 5 gold medals. Only China has more medals (8 gold) than them.

Nevertheless, China’s size remained a key reason for their dominance against the Philippines. The latter struggled defensively, eventually guiding the Chinese to a comfortable win.

While the opening ceremony of the Asian Games is scheduled for September 19, basketball and football competitions have already commenced in Aichi-Nagoya. However, gold medal favourites Philippines are already out of the tournament before the grand opening.