GILAS Pilipinas braces for a match against Jordan five years since the last game between the nations in a Fiba-sanctioned competition.
It was in the Fiba Asia Cup in Beirut where the Filipinos got the better of the Jordanians, 75-70, in the seventh place game on Aug. 20, 2017.
See Where to watch Gilas road games vs Jordan and Saudi Arabia
Terrence Romeo was the hero of that victory, willing Gilas back from a 70-65 hole in the last 1:47 to secure the winning finish in the continental tourney. He finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
A lot has changed.
Only Japeth Aguilar and Roger Pogoy remain in the national team from that squad.
As for Jordan, three more players from that crew are still with the team namely Amin Abu Hawwas, Sami Bzai, and Ahmad Alhamarsheh.
In the past 10 years, the Philippines owns a 3-1 win-loss record against Jordan.
Japeth Aguilar is in the 20-man pool ahead of the game against Jordan .
Gilas also won in the group stage of the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship, 77-71, on Aug. 2, 2013 in Manila and scored a 71-70 conquest in the 2014 Fiba Asia Cup group stage in Wuhan.
Jordan's only victory over the Philippines in that stretch was a 119-105 triumph in the 2016 Fiba Asia Challenge on Sept. 14, 2016 where Gilas crashed out of the second round.
Pogoy and CJ Perez were part of that national team and will surely be seeking to avenge that loss.
Since then, most of the two teams' matchups were friendlies.
The two teams split their exhibition series back in 2018, with Jordan taking the 99-92 win and the Philippines responding with an 82-73 conquest as the two nations prepared for the 2019 Fiba World Cup in China.
Gilas also came home empty handed in the King Abdullah Cup back in 2021, with Jordan taking the 82-74 win in the preliminary stages before repeating a day after, an 84-74 victory in the semifinals.
Here's to hoping that it won't be the case this time out in Amman.
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