Smart Gilas rallies past Kuwait for third win

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/sports/10404-rp-5-continues-surge.html

Standing Tall

Smart Gilas Philippines rallies past Kuwait 98-93

by rick olivares

Rey Guevarra was praying for an opportunity to contribute to the Smart Gilas Men’s Basketball Team’s campaign in the 20^th FIBA Asia Champions Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia. So far he racked up one Did Not Play-Coach’s Decision and a cameo appearance where he laid a perfect bounce pass to a cutting Mark Barroca (that lead to a basket against Lebanon) and a missed point blank lay-up.

When Guevarra entered the match at the start of the fourth quarter, Qadsia Kuwait held a 78-69 lead. After giving up a foul on the defensive end, the high leaping forward buried consecutive three-pointers that found nothing but the bottom of the net.

Guevarra coolly raced back on defense as if to say that it was just another day at the office. But the baskets were huge as they brought the lead down to three with 8:17 left and lit a fire once more underneath the Gilas squad that given up its second 16-point deficit of the match.

And the treys stirred the Saturday crowd at the Britama Sports Arena had rallied behind the Gilas team that was playing Qadsia Kuwait without two players -- American reinforcement CJ Giles who was resting a strained knee and team captain Chris Tiu.

It was the final game for the Philippines and Kuwait yet Gilas Head Coach Rajko Toroman preached caution (the result had not bearings on the Filipino’s quarterfinal seeding) in elimination round play. The Philippines was second behind undefeated Iran while Kuwait was winless after three outings. But that’s what made them dangerous, underscored Toroman because they have nothing to lose.

The match came one day after an emotional win against Lebanon where the team stared defeat in the eye and snatched an unbelievable 98-93 victory before a couple of thousand cheering fans.

Against Kuwait that had its two American imports Joel Box and Michael Harris, the odds were slightly stacked against the Philippines.

Qadsia’s Macedonian Coach Jordancho Davitkov threw a box-and-one and mixed it up with a triangle-and-two defense that thoroughly confused the Filipinos at the beginning.

All tournament long, opposing teams played a straight up 2-3 zone and the new look forced Toroman to call a time out barely two minutes into the match.

The last time Mark Barroca faced such a defense was against Mapua in the Collegiate Champions League. It forced him out of his rhythm but his team, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws found a way to win. “Bwisit to,” he said to himself as he struggled early on.

Kuwait spotted the Philippines a 16-point lead at 20-4 with under three minutes left in the first quarter. Toroman sent in Jayvee Casio for Barroca and Dylan Ababou for JR Cawaling, and Greg Slaughter for Jason Ballesteros.

Their entrance infused the team with a badly needed dose of energy as Slaughter battled Harris inside and scored his first points of the tournament and the deceptive Ababou hit four treys from either side of the corner pocket and a floater.

From a 31-16 first quarter deficit, Gilas scored 30 second quarter points to come within striking distance at 49-46 that was punctuated by a death-defying lay-up by Mac Baracael right before the half-time buzzer. Baracael scattered 13 points of his own during the run.

The halftime break cooled down the Filipinos as they once more came out flat but the team clawed back before Guevarra’s dramatic treys.

A few seconds later, there was a tense moment when Mark Barroca laid down Kuwaiti point guard Shayee Saeed in retaliation for a sucker punch to the abdomen that the referees failed to catch. The stoppage prompted Davitkov and the Qadsia coaching staff to enter the court and threaten to pull out of the match. After FIBA officials placated the Kuwaitis, Davitkov was whistled for a technical foul for his entering the court.

The two free throws made by Casio, who played a scintillating game at point guard while adding scored 21 huge points, and the resulting ball possession sent the momentum the Philippines’ way.

From there on, an unshackled Barroca, Casio, Slaughter, and Ababou finished off Kuwait for the win as the Britama Sports Arena exploded with unrestrained emotion.

Said CJ Giles who was hollering, clapping, cheering, and coaching from the sidelines, “I didn’t think we could top last night’s game (against Lebanon) but we just did!”

The Philippines’ entered the tournament as virtual unknowns. No matter where they finish they have already won everyone’s respect and admiration.

Philippines 98 – Casio 21, Baracael 19, Ababou 16, Barroca 9, Jazul 9, Ramos 7, Slaughter 6, Guevarra 6, Ballesteros 5, Cawaling 0

Kuwait 93 – Harris 32, Box 21, Albrahim 12, Saeed 9, Al Himidi 9, Abdullah 2, Mohammad 2, Al Zafiri 0, Al Rashidih 0, Alajmi 0, Hassan 0