August 20, 2017

Gilas stuns Jordan in thrilling finish to end Fiba Asia Cup stint on winning note

GILAS Pilipinas just won’t allow its FIBA Asia Cup campaign end up on a losing note.

The Filipinos got their acts together just in time to survive a hard-fighting Jordan side, 75-70, and salvaged some measure of pride at the close of the Asian spectacle in Beirut, Lebanon Sunday night.

Deadly gunner Terrence Romeo came to Gilas’ rescue just when defeat was staring the team straight in the eyes, scoring a pressure-packed three-point basket and making two crucial endgame plays possible that clinched for the team the comeback win and assured the Filipinos a seventh place finish in the biennial meet.

Romeo hit one from downtown with a minute left in the game to cut down a four-point Jordan lead to 69-70. He then issued a feed off Japeth Aguilar just underneath the basket in Gilas’ next possession, which the veteran big man converted for the go-ahead with 21 seconds left.

The Globalport stalwart later on preserved the Gilas win by forcing Jordan’s Abdeen to commit a backcourt violation that resulted in a fastbreak lay up by Roger Pogoy at the other end.

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Romeo and Gilas cadet Matthew Wright finished with 13 points apiece for the Philippines, whose finish in this year’s Asian Cup edition was its lowest since placing eight during the 2009 staging of the Asian joust in China.

For a while, Jordan, with former player and TnT Katropa import Sam Daghles now calling the shots, had momentum going their way after a huge 11-0 run erased a six-point deficit and put the team in front, 70-65.

Mousa Al Awadi tied the game at 65 at the 2:50 mark before Ahmad Alhamarsheh hit a three-pointer to give the Jordanaires the lead.

A runner by Al Awadi stretched the lead to five, before the Filipinos finally made their move on the way for the thrilling win.

The victory somehow allowed Gilas to pick up the pieces of its shattered pride after failing to make it deep into the tournament following a fine start that saw the team complete a three-game sweep of its preliminary round assignment in Group B.

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The Filipinos fell against old nemesis South Korea in the quarterfinals, 112-86, that eliminated them in the fight for the gold medal and negated the massive upset they pulled off against deposed champion China, 96-87, in their debut game.

Gilas then lost to host Lebanon, 106-87, Saturday that denied the team a chance to finish fifth in the tournament.

The Filipino delegation is expected to be back in the country this week.