FIBA Asia: After Japan, Phils. Faces another big test in Qatar
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 06 Aug 2013
MANILA (PNA) -- Like his coach, Ranidel de Ocampo believes the time to celebrate is when the Philippine team has finally achieved its goal in the current 27th FIBA Asia Championship.
?For me, the time for us to be happy is when we have already attained what we?re aspiring for,? De Ocampo, the most consistent scorer in the Filipinos? line-up, declared, echoing coach Chot Reyes? sentiment expressed after the host country fashioned out a 77-71 victory over Jordan Friday last week.
The Philippines bounced back from an 79-84 heartbreaking loss to Chinese Taipei last Saturday with a convincing 20-point 91-71 shellacking of Japan Monday as if to show their countrymen they?re now on track to accomplish their mission at the posh Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Philippines is vying to at least end up third in this, the most prestigious cagefest in the region where the top three finishers will earn a trip to the World Championship next year in Spain, a feat the Filipinos have not achieved since ruling this event 40 years ago also here when it is then called the Asian Basketball Confederation championship.
The Filipinos though returned to the throne in 1985 in Malaysia but failed to represent Asia in the Worlds held in Spain two years later when the then Nationals were dismantled as an aftermath of the EDSA revolt.
The Filipinos, nicknamed Gilas, are scheduled to face Group E leader Qatar, which was putting at stake its 3-0 win-loss record in the 12-team, two-group second phase of elimination that determines the teams that will advance into the quarterfinal round.
Unlike in their defeat to the Taiwanese where they threw away a 13-point lead going into the payoff period, was no last quarter collapse for Reyes? boys Monday night.
Playing heads up basketball from the opening buzzer on, the Nationals were never headed on leaving dust on the Japanese trail by 10 points in the opening half and by as many as 25 points, 68-43, with still some four minute left in the third quarter to make sure the win was in their hands this time.
Sweet-shooting Jeff Chan, silenced in the game against Taipei, had 16 points burning the hoops on four of five attempts from the three-point zone and two-for-two elsewhere on the floor complementing naturalized player Marcus Douthit?s game-high 19 markers besides hauling down 10 boards.
De Ocampo himself, spitfire L.A. Tenorio, who Reyes fielded in for only two minutes plus against Taiwan, skipper Jimmy Alapag, the ever-reliable Jason Castro, defense specialist Gabe Norwood and even the butter-fingered Japeth Aguilar, likewise, had their day on the court giving what they do best.
Reyes was all praises for bull-strong Mark Pingris for the San Mig Coffee?s defensive contribution strangling the Japanese?s big guys inside and outside the paints.
The Japanese outrebounded their hosts, 62-48, but that was because the Filipinos made 18 of their 41 attempts from the two-point zone for a high 44 percent shooting, 12 of 20 from beyond the arc for a magnificent 60 percent average.
The Japanese never led from the time Douthit, Chan and Norwood sent the Philippines roaring ahead, 6-0, in the opening six minutes of the contest. The game was tied only twice, 17-all and 19-all at the start of the second quarter.
Defending champion China rebounded from a double whammy it suffered during the first phase of elimination by upending a fighting Kazakhstan side, 73-67, while Iran suffocated India, 102-58, to remain unscathed with 3-0 win-loss slate, duplicated by Taiwan, which overwhelmed Hong Kong, 94-55 and Qatar, 75-61 victor over Jordan.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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