Gilas gets back at China with FIBA Asia opening win

Gilas gets back at China with FIBA Asia opening win

by rick olivares

The mother of all upsets suddenly began to look like the mother of all collapses.

Then Terrence Romeo made sure that the script – the former, that is – was going to stay the same. And the Philippines came away 96-87 winners, holding the defending FIBA Asia Champions scoreless in the last 3:40 of the match.

The deadliest scorer in the Philippines, scored 12 fourth quarter points, including eight in the last 3:40. After Yu Dehao scored on a putback to give China an 87-84 lead – their last points of the match -- Romeo drilled a three-pointer to forge the only deadlock of the game at 87-all. After Jayson Castro turnover, the Philippines got a crucial stop and then Romeo went back to work scoring a shot inside the lane and another triple to give the challengers one more lead they would not surrender.

Christian Standhardinger scored a gimme off a Castro assist and Matthew Wright drove through the heart of the Chinese defense to pad the lead all the way to the finish.

It was sweet revenge for the Filipinos who lost to China two years ago during the gold medal match in what is considered to be a spottily-officiated final in Changsa.

What makes the victory even sweeter is they won with an all-Filipino crew and minus two key players in June Mar Fajardo who is out with a foot injury and Calvin Abueva who was ejected at the 2:29 mark of the first period for headbutting China’s Li Gen.

Despite the loss of Abueva, the Philippines led by as much as 17-points in the first half as the nationals hit some huge triples and dunked on the flabbergasted Chinese.

Raymond Almazan dunked twice including one flush on two Chinese players off a pick and roll with Castro that had the crowd at the Nouhad Nawal Sports Complex cheering.

The Filipinos led 53-39 going into the halftime break. However, come the third period, China found the range from the outside as they drilled five triples to make a game of it, 76-70, Philippines, by third period's end.

The Romeo scored four straight points to restore a double digit lead to start the fourth period after which China rallied behind point guard Gou Ailun who scored seven points to cut the Philippines’ lead, 82-79, time down to 6:27. Guo’s fellow Changsa veteran Zhou Peng hit two free throws after which Hu Jinqui scored to give China its first taste of the lead at 83-82 with 5:19 to play.

Unfortunately for China, they were unable to sustain their comeback when Guo fouled out at the 4:42 mark of the fourth period after a clumsy challenge on Castro. Without their court general who finished with 18 points and five assists, China fell apart.

Romeo topscored with 26 points while first time FIBA Asia campaigners Christian Standhardinger and Matthew Wright added 15 and 12 points respectively. Jayson Castro added 13 points and seven assists.

Zhou Peng backstopped Guo with 17 points while Hu and Li Gen added 13 and 11 points respectively.

Flush with confidence after its huge opening day win, the Philippines takes on Iraq on Friday, August 11.