Gilas Pilipinas settles for silver in FIBA 2015

Changhsha, China — The Philippines had its Olympic dreams dashed last night, losing to China in the final of the FIBA Asia Championship, 78-67, an anti-climatic and disappointing end to what had been a glorious campaign.

Gilas Pilipinas could not just put it all together in the final push for the gold medal as China’s big men repeatedly foiled the country’s top scorers, and their sharpshooters turning back every rally.

The game was nearly a letdown. The Filipinos, resilient and deadly in the knockout rounds, missed badly from everywhere, including free throws, allowing China to control the game from the second quarter onwards.

But China’s superiority could not be denied. Though some of its players were just getting their taste of international experience, the Chinese played with more poise, more determination and dominated with their height and impeccable shooting.

Fighting spirit alone did not lift the Filipinos even as they tried hard to compensate for their lack of size with speed which the Chinese also had in abundance.

Still Gilas Pilipinas players can hold their heads high, coming into the tournament as underdogs and getting to the finals of the FIBA Asia Championship for the second straight time.

But silver medal does not get the team to its ultimate target – the Olympic Games in Rio – which could have made history for Gilas with a victory against China. A win would have ended not only the Philippine drought in the Asian championship which it last won in 1985, but also put it back in the Olympics having been there last in Munich in 1972.

Gilas, which settled for the silver medal for the second straight time, will be relegated to the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in July next year with 17 other national teams.

The Filipinos got off to a 5-0 start and were still up, 15-10, when the Chinese scored 12 unanswered points to take control.

After a three-minute scoring spell, Calvin Abueva made two free throws to cut China’s lead to 23-19.

Riding on a 26-16 advantage off the boards, the Chinese took the half, 46-35.

The Filipinos kept the deficit in single digit until forward Li Gen scored back-to-back three point shots to give China a 60-44 lead.

The closest the Filipinos got after that was 60-50 at the end of three quarters.

The Chinese opened the final period with five unanswered points to take the fight off the Filipinos.

Jayson Castro was held to a miserable 3-of-14 shooting to finish the game with just eight points. As a consolation, Castro was named to the tournament’s Mythical Five.

Andray Blatche, the only Filipino to score in double figures, led Gilas with 17 points. Calvin Abueva had nine points before fouling out, the same number put up by Terrence Romeo.

Chinese guard Ailin Duo topscored for the Chinese with 19 points while seven-foot Yi Jianlian, who once played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, added 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Seven-foot-one center Zhou Qi, seen as the next big man for China after Yi, fired 16 points and hauled down 14 rebounds.

In the battle for third place, Iran held off Japan, 68-63.

The scores:

CHINA 78 – Guo 19, Zhou 16, Yi 11, G. Li 9, Ding 9 Zhou 7, Zhao 3, Zhai 2, Wang 2

PHILIPPINES 67 – Blatche 17, Romeo 9, Abueva 9, Castro 8, Norwood 7, De Ocampo 7, Hontiveros 6, Thoss 4, Pingris 0, Intal 0, Ganuelas 0

Quarters: 23-19, 46-35, 60-50, 78-67

Source: Manila Bulletin

Basketball Update: Gilas Pilipinas Wins in FIBA

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas ended its 2014 FIBA World Cup bid on a positive note, outlasting a pesky Senegal squad in overtime, 81-79, for its first win in the world stage in about 40 years.

Jimmy Alapag made a big splash in his final international game, unloading 18 points and sinking crucial free throws in the extension period to help the Filipinos go home with their heads held high after a thrilling affair Thursday night in Seville, Spain.

Gilas went toe-to-toe with Senegal in overtime without Andray Blatche, who fouled out in the period after leading the Philippines for most of the game with 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Senegalese players threatened the Filipinos all the way with key baskets from Mouhammad Faye, who topscored for his team with 20 points.

June Mar Fajardo had a breakout game with 15 markers to fuel the cause of the Filipinos, who likewise got solid support from LA Tenorio, Paul Lee and Japeth Aguilar.

The Phl thus ends its World Cup stint with a record of 1-4, dropping close decisions to Croatia, Argentina and Puerto Rico while standing its ground against a taller Greece squad.

The win over Senegal was the Phl's first since beating Central African Republic, 87-86, in 1974. The Filipinos have since gone on an 11-game losing skid.

Chot hopes Gilas to bounce back after big setback

MANILA, Philippines –Twenty four hours after a solid showing against Eurobasket champion France, Gilas Pilipinas ran out of gas against world’s no. 9 Australian Boomers in a 97-75 loss in the 2014 Antibes International Basketball Tournament at Azur Arena in Antibes, France.

The 22-point loss was a big letdown after giving world’s no. 8 France a big scare the day earlier before losing poise down the stretch in a 75-68 loss.

Gilas, this time, ran into a bigger and sharper Australian team, which shot 52 percent from the field, including 9-of-21 from the long distance.

The Boomers waxed hot early zooming to a 16-6 lead that set the tone for the game. The Aussies imposed their height and deft passing early on to keep the Filipinos at bay.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes quickly sued for time and tried to fire up the team. He was heard imploring the Gilas boys to attack the bigger opponents and even told them they looked scared on the floor against the Australian team, whose average height is 6-7.

It woke the team up as Gilas came within striking distance pulled within three, 20-17. Gilas managed to keep it close until the latter part of the third period where everything fell apart for them.

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After a back-to-back three-pointer by Andray Blatche and Gary David pulled Gilas within four, 64-60, the Boomers went on a 29-4 dizzying run bridging the final two minutes of the third and first six minutes of the fourth quarter to erect a commanding 21-point lead, 89-68.

The Filipinos never recovered and faltered for the second straight game.

Reyes was obviously not happy with their second half meltdown.


Gilas will try to salvage a win against Ukraine Sunday night, their third straight game in as many nights against FIBA World Cup-bound teams in this pocket tournament that simulates the competition that awaits them in Spain.

Australia’s 6-10 finesse center Aaron Baynes of NBA champion San Antonio Spurs shot 6-of-12 to finish with 15 points leading five Boomers in double figures.

Ryan Broekhoff backed him up with 14 points while Brad Newley and Cleveland Cavalier Matt Dellavedova each had 13. The hulking Nate Jawai chipped in 10 points while Utah Jazz 6-5 rookie Dante Exum, who was drafted fifth overall in this year's draft, had an all-around performance coming up with eight points on 50 percent shooting and laced it up with five rebounds and six assists.

Chot's son Josh, one of his assistants, pointed to the Aussies' imposing presence inside that spelled the difference.


Blatche led Gilas with 20 points and was the lone double digit rebounder for Phl with 10. The Boomers outrebounded Gilas, 40-30, and enjoyed a huge 52-26 advantage in inside points. Jeff Chan finished with 11 points and continued to hit his stride from the outside collecting three triples as Gilas hit 10 three-pointers after making 12 against France.

FIBA Asia Mythical Five member Jayson Castro came back from a reported hip injury to score 12 points while David and Jared Dillinger added 10 and 8, respectively.

Gilas will try to salvage a win against Ukraine Sunday night before heading back to Spain for another series of tuneup games leading to the FIBA World Cup.  

The scores:

Australia (97) – Baynes 15, Broekhoff 14, Dellavedova 13, Newley 13, Jawai 10, Exum 8, Gibson 7, Motum 7, Goulding 6, Bairstow 4, Ingles 0.

Gilas Pilipinas (75) – Blatche 20, Castro 12, Chan 11, David 10, Dillinger 8, De Ocampo 4, Norwood 3, Alapag 2, Tenorio 2, Aguilar 2, Fajardo 1, Pingris 0, Lee 0, Belga 0.

Quarterscores: 20-17, 47-42, 73-63, 97-75.