With stunning SEA Games victory, Indonesia shreds Philippines’ aura of invincibility
There is a tiny corner of the world where the Philippines can still flex its dominance of a sport it is overly infatuated with.
On Sunday, a hot-shooting team which finally fished a key weapon out of its pocket intruded on that space.
Indonesia, leading off with laser-guided three-point shooting and unleashing naturalized player Marques Bolden, stunned Gilas Pilipinas, 85-81, on Sunday to win its first-ever gold medal in the men’s basketball event of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
For the Philippines, it was the first time in 33 years that it surrendered its regional stronghold—and the defeat comes just 14 months before it cohosts the Fiba World Cup.