MANILA, Philippines -- Again and again, Kevin Quiambao has shown Gilas Pilipinas that he belongs.
When the Philippines needed its biggest shot against Jordan, Quiambao did not hesitate.
Quiambao drilled a left-wing triple off a CJ Perez assist with 13 seconds left in overtime, lifting Gilas to a thrilling 92-91 victory in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila on Friday.
"I practice those shots," Quiambao said confidently after the game. "It was a great feeling, but that was just a rhythm shot. I was in my rhythm when I took the shot. Luckily, it went in."
The two-time UAAP MVP finished with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting and five rebounds, becoming one of Gilas' primary offensive weapons in a game in which the team badly needed perimeter scoring.
With naturalized player Justin Brownlee sidelined, Quiambao became an even more important floor spacer and shooting threat for the Filipinos.
He made two of Gilas' only four three-pointers against Jordan. As a team, the Philippines shot just 4-of-22 from beyond the arc, an 18.2 percent clip.
But when the biggest shot came, the 25-year-okd Quiambao was ready.
"He had great confidence," Perez said after setting up the game-winning shot. "I've been driving for layups throughout the game and the defense was collapsing."
For Quiambao, there was nothing extraordinary about the moment.
It was simply the shot he had been preparing for.
"I was just helping the team with the things I've been working on," he said.
And while his late-game heroics filled the void left by Brownlee, Quiambao was quick to make clear that he is not trying to become Brownlee, who has made countless heroic moments for the national squad.
"JB is JB," Quiambao said. "I'm super thankful to CJ that he gave his trust to me. It showed the team's resiliency."
The shot also served as another reminder of how much confidence Quiambao has developed since joining the national team program.
"We showed that we, as locals, can keep up for the whole 40 minutes," he said. "We just needed the momentum."
Now, that momentum has to carry over.
Quiambao and Gilas face Iran at Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, with the Iranians expected to have a naturalized player available.
Brownlee will again be absent, meaning Gilas will once more need its locals to step into bigger roles.
For Quiambao, that responsibility does not appear to be weighing him down. If anything, it has given him another opportunity to prove he is ready for the moment.
"We are hoping we can bring that momentum again against Iran," he said. "We know Iran is stronger than us on paper."
