The Philippines posted a lopsided 98–74 victory over Mongolia Team A on Sunday to advance to the semifinals of the 45-up men’s basketball tournament at the 2025 World Masters Games in Taipei, Taiwan.
Despite the final score, the game remained competitive through the first three quarters. Mongolia trailed by just seven points, 67–60, heading into the final period.
During that crucial stretch, Supreme Court Justice Midas Marquez emerged as a key contributor, hitting back-to-back three-pointers and sending a sharp bounce pass to Gilbert Malabanan to keep Mongolia at bay.
“Mongolia kept it close early, but the coaching staff made key adjustments in the final quarter, and that’s when we pulled away,” said Philippine team manager Reynaldo Punongbayan.
The Philippine coaching staff is led by former Ginebra head coach Arlene Rodriguez, with assistants Dan Caneba, Albert Valbuena, and Diego Padua providing support.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Filipinos switched to a stifling man-to-man defense, forcing Mongolia into a string of turnovers. Capitalizing on these errors, Malabanan and Rendell Dela Rea spearheaded a fastbreak-heavy offense that extended the lead to 86–65.
Unable to counter the Philippines’ high-pressure defense and transition game, Mongolia faltered.
A three-pointer by Marquez with 4:45 remaining pushed the lead to 91–65—the largest margin of the game at 26 points—effectively sealing the outcome.
With the win, the Philippines concluded the elimination round with a 2–1 record and will once again face Mongolia Team A in the semifinals. The other semifinal matchup will feature Lithuania against Mongolia Team B.
