BANGKOK — Gilas Pilipinas leaned on a strong fourth-quarter push to fend off a determined Vietnam side, escaping with a 78-67 victory to advance to the semifinals of the men’s basketball tournament in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Monday at the Nimibutr Stadium.

Robert Bolick delivered when it mattered most, pouring in 10 of his 13 points in the final period, including back-to-back three-pointers that broke the game open and lifted the Filipinos to the top of Group A with a clean 2-0 slate.

“It was a tough win,” said head coach Norman Black, whose squad erased a 14-point deficit in the second quarter. “Vietnam played very well and challenged us throughout. Defensively, we still have things to improve, and we’ll work on that in practice.”

Gilas seized control late after trailing 62-61 midway through the fourth quarter. Bolick’s two triples, followed by a timely three from Poy Erram, fueled a decisive 8-1 run that turned the tide and stretched the lead to 70-62 with just over three minutes remaining.

Erram finished with a team-high 15 points and five rebounds, while Matthew Wright added 14 points on efficient shooting. Jamie Malonzo chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds as Gilas recovered from a sluggish first half.

Vietnam shocked the Filipinos early behind the hot shooting of guards Khoa Tran and Huynh Phu Vinh Nguyen. Tran drilled three triples in the second quarter as Vietnam surged to a 41-27 advantage, giving Gilas a rare scare in the tournament. Both Tran and Nguyen ended with 19 points, with Nguyen also hauling down 12 rebounds.

Vietnam head coach Matt Van Pelt credited preparation for his team’s strong showing. “We focused on knowing their players and their tendencies,” he said. “Once we had that, it was about executing better on our end.”

With the win, Gilas Pilipinas secured a direct semifinals berth, while Vietnam dropped to 0-2 and will need to pass through the crossover quarterfinals for a chance to advance.