Gilas Pilipinas Youth saw its FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 campaign come to a painful end after a 79-66 loss to Bahrain on Thursday in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — marking the team’s earliest exit in tournament history.
For the first time in 16 years, the Philippines failed to reach the quarterfinals, ending with a 1-3 record under new head coach LA Tenorio. The defeat also marked the country’s first-ever loss to Bahrain in the competition.
The Philippine squad struggled mightily on offense, shooting just 33% from the field and a dismal 18% from beyond the arc. No player scored more than 10 points, with Jolo Pascual leading Gilas Youth with 10, followed by Jhustin Hallare with nine. Brian Orca and Everaigne Cruz each added eight points.
On the other side, Bahrain’s Mohamed Adel Abdulla exploded for 22 points, while Hassan Oshobuge Abdulkadir recorded a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds — stepping up in the absence of star big man Somto Patrick Onoduenyi, who had averaged over 21 points and 16 boards in the group stage.
The Philippines, which finished fourth in last year’s edition and earned a FIBA U17 World Cup spot, saw a sharp drop in performance. The previous worst finish was seventh in 2022.
Gilas Youth now heads home, facing tough questions and a long road ahead in rebuilding its program for future tournaments.
