NLEX BOWS TO MOROCCANS IN Q’FINALS
NLEX kissed its title hopes goodbye in the 26th Dubai International Invitational Basketball Championships when it lost to Sale Club-Morocco 97-90 in the quarterfinals Thursday at the Al Ahli Club.
The Road Warriors, who are using the tourney as a tuneup for its upcoming campaign in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup which begins Jan. 27, led by as much as 11 points two minutes into the third period on import Willie Thornton’s two free throws.
But the Moroccans, who earned a trip to the knockout semifinals 7:00 p.m. Friday (Dubai time) against Al-Riyadi-Lebanon, outscored NLEX the rest of the way 56-38 to post the come-from-behind victory which disappointed the thousands of overseas Filipino workers cheering their kababayans.
NLEX, which lost despite all its starters scoring in double figures led by the 28 of Thornton, was relegated to a rematch against Al Zamalek-Egypt for fifth place slated 9:00 p.m. Friday (1am Saturday, Manila time).
The Road Warriors, who lost despite a 54% shooting from the field built around an 11-of-20 clip from three-point range, will be meeting the Egyptians a second time in the tourney, having lost to Al Zamalek in their elims meeting last Tuesday, 73-67.
And1-USA and Sagesse-Lebanon figure in the other knockout semifinal in the first game of a tripleheader Friday starting at 5:00 p.m., Dubai time.
The scores (complete boxscores here):
Sale Club-Morocco 97 – Zuoita 26, Gause 16, Kourdou 15, Baeri 12, Khaloum 12, Elmesbahi 9, Abderrahim 7.
NLEX 90 – Thornton 28, Villanueva J. 15, Cardona 13, Taulava 10, Ramos 10, Canaleta 8, Borboran 3, Villanueva R. 2, Camson 1, Lingganay 0, Soyud 0.
Quarterscores: 17-22, 39-47, 73-65, 97-90.
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