GILAS PILIPINAS SCORES IMPRESSIVE WIN IN OPENING TUNE-UP GAME
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 11 Aug 2014
The Philippine National Basketball team to the FIBA World Cup which opens later this month in Spain, got their series of tune-up games off to an impressive start with a 31 point rout of a selection of players from the Spanish professional league ACB in Vitoria early Monday morning, Manila Time.
Naturalized center Andray Blatche of the NBA team, Brooklyn Nets, scored 15 points in the first half to lead the Gilas Pilipinas squad with 18 points against a solid line-up of pros from the Spanish league.
The nationals dominated the game from the opening tip-off right up to the final buzzer behind some excellent outside shooting and well executed fast breaks,
The Philippines led at the half by 19 points, 50-31.
Gilas Pilipinas continued their sizzling performance in the second half with some big baskets from beyond the arc to finish with 13 of 26 three-point attempts for a 50 percent clip that helped thwart any comeback by the ACB selection.
Rain Or Shine?s outstanding guard Paul Lee continued to impress coach Chot Reyes as he fights for a spot on the World Cup team, scoring 10 points.
Jared Dillinger, a known defensive asset added 9 points, point guard LA Tenorio chipped in 7 points while Gabe Norwood contributed 6 points.
Head coach Chot Reyes who steered the Philippine Team to a masterful runner-up finish in the FIBA Asia Championships one year ago before sell-out crowds at the Mall of Asia Arena which earned the country its first appearance in the World Cup after 40 years, recalled that it was the win over South Korea that clinched an emotional ride.
In his twitter account Reyes said ?We wanted to commemorate the first year of ?Break Korea Curse? and by playing with good effort the right way I think we did both. Now, on to tougher foes.?
TV 5 which will cover all the tune-up games as well as the World Cup will telecast the game at 8:00 p.m. this evening followed by the final group game of the Batang Gilas squad in the Under 17 FIBA World Championships against two-time champions, the United States, at 10:30 p.m.
The nationals will travel to Antibes, France where they will face much stiffer opposition in a series of tune-up games against France, Australia and Ukraine.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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