Gilas Pilipinas Beats South Korea, Earns Ticket To FIBA World Cup

Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine national men’s basketball team, has earned a ticket to the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, after a historic victory against the South Korean team.

Gilas Pilpinas enters 2014 FIBA World Championships

Backed by a crowd of thousands of Filipino basketball fans, Gilas Pilipinas defeated familiar foe South Korea, 86-79, in the semifinals of the 27th FIBA Asia Championship held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City  on Saturday night, August 10.

"To all the haters and the skeptics, I forgive you," said Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes. "God bless you and mabuhay ang Pilipinas."

"Our game plan was to force their big men to beat us. We didn't want their shooters to beat us," Reyes added. "That was for Jong [Uichico], for Olsen [Racela], for Rajko [Toroman] and for all those who had a hard time against Korea."

Gilas Pilipinas will take on the Iranian squad in Sunday's Final in a bid to be crowned champions of Asia, while South Korea and Chinese Taipei will battle for the third place.

The tournament's top three finishers will be given the privilege of playing against the best teams in the world next year in Madrid.

It would be the first appearance of the Philippines in the world stage since an eight-place showing in the 1978 Manila World Basketball Championship.