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Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippines man’s basketball team, pulled off a stunning upset, defeating world No. 6 Latvia, a team boasting NBA talent like Davis Bertans, 89-80 in their opening game of the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia, on Wednesday. The tournament is a last-chance qualifier for teams to earn a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Masterful performance: Despite missing NBA star Jordan Clarkson and other key players, Gilas Pilipinas led throughout the game, with their lead reaching as high as 26 points. Kai Sotto, Justin Brownlee, Dwight Ramos and June Mar Fajardo led the Philippines, combining for 67 points.
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Olympic dream alive: The victory marks the first time a Filipino national team has won against a European team in an official FIBA competition since 1960. Having better point differential than Georgia allowed the Philippines to advance to the semifinals despite a 94-96 defeat on Thursday. Georgia required a win by a margin of 19 points or more against the Philippines to avoid disqualification. The Philippines will face Brazil on Saturday, moving one step closer to a historic return to the Olympic Games for the first time in 52 years.
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