HANGZHOU: The Philippines won their first Asian Games basketball gold since 1962 on Friday in a 70-60 victory over Jordan with American-born Justin Brownlee pouring in 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Former Brooklyn Nets starter Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored a game-high 24 points but it was not enough to deliver Jordan a first basketball gold in their history. Both sides started slowly in an error-riddled first quarter in Hangzhou edged 17-12 by the Philippines, but Jordan rallied to enter half-time level at 31-31.
The momentum shifted back to the Philippines in the third quarter and they took a 51-41 lead into the home stretch and then held their nerve for a famous victory. "It feels great, man," said Ivory Coast-born Angelo Kouame, who added 14 points.
"We knew the team needed that win and to get the job done. Everyone came together and that was a great team effort. "It means a lot after all these years, and that´s bigger than all of us," he added. The Philippines won Asiad gold four times in a row from 1951 to 1962 but had made just one final since, in 1990, when they went down to China.