SMART-GILAS TURNS BACK SYRIA, MARCHES TO FIBA ASIA QUARTERFINALS

It took the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team 25 minutes to get into a groove against Syria in its crucial last elimination game in the second round of the FIBA Asia Men’s Basketball Championship in Wuhan, China.

The Filipinos fell behind early, but bounced back strong in the second half before hammering out a convincing 75-52 beating of Syria and marching to the quarterfinal round of the Olympic qualifying tournament.

No SMART-Gilas player aside from Marcus Douthit finished in double figures for the squad, but the Filipinos banked on a solid defensive effort in the fourth quarter to finally put away the Syrians.

Douthit finished with 20 points and six rebounds, but was not used in the fourth quarter when the rest of the Gilas players went to work on both ends of the court.

The Filipinos held their counterparts without a basket for over six minutes of the fourth period to break the game wide open.

Marcio Lassiter had a completed three-point play and a bucket, Chris Tiu nailed a three-pointer and Asi Taulava split his charities as the Filipinos coasted to a 64-45 lead before Syria made its first basket of the fourth quarter when the game looked already decided.

The curtains finally fell on the Syrians when Tiu drilled in his second trey of the quarter,

The Filipinos secured their spot in the next round that begins on Friday.

SMART-Gilas came out very relaxed and appeared to take the Syrians lightly, which led to an early deficit in the first half. The Pinoy cagers trailed the entire first half and were down 23-32 at halftime.

But the Philippines outscored Syria, 26-13 in the third period for a 49-45 lead then buckled down to work on the defensive end when they held their rivals to a long scoreless stretch.

In beating the Syrians, the Philippines look likely to secure the No. 2 spot in their group going to the quarterfinal round and should face Chinese Taipei in its next assignment.

SMART-Gilas is looking to be the first Philippine national team to make it to the semifinals of the tournament since the 1987 national side helmed by Joe Lipa that featured PBA legends Alvin Patrimonio, Ronnie Magsanoc, Jojo Lastimosa and Jerry Codinera.

By Reynaldo Belen, InterAKTV