GILAS PILIPINAS ROLLS PAST SINGAPORE
Gilas Pilipinas started and finished with a flurry as it whipped Singapore, 74-57, for a second straight win in the fifth FIBA Asia Cup at the Wuhan Sports Centre in Wuhan, China Monday.
Gary David and Paul Lee top scored with 10 points apiece with nine other Gilas players putting in their share as coach Chot Reyes didn’t find the need to play naturalized player Marcus Douthit much minutes against the lowly Singaporean quintet.
But even with Douthit not seeing much action, the Filipinos pummeled the Singaporeans in the paint, 42-18, as Gilas followed up its 78-64 trouncing of Chinese Taipei Saturday.
Up next for Gilas is Jordan Tuesday with the Filipinos fancied to complete a three-game sweep in Group B.
In Group A, the fight for spots in the quarterfinals was muddled up by India’s 65-58 shocker of a win over host China.
It’s a real shocker as India had never beaten China in any international basketball competition before.
“Full marks to the players for holding it together. I think it’s an overdue win for India and there’s no way anyone can take the credit away from the boys,” said Indian coach Scott Flemming in a report on the tournament website.
“I’m not surprised at all,” Flemming also said.
“We certainly deserved to win. We worked hard for this,” said Indian star Vishesh Bhriguvanshi.
“Well, this is a young team. Such results are expected,” said China coach Wang Huaiyu.
“They (India) really deserved the win because they certainly played better than us. But our very purpose is to learn from these mistakes. We win some and we lose some at this stage. But every game is a lesson for us,” he added.
No way Gilas would let Singapore do what India did to China.
The Filipinos started the game with a 9-0 tear, led by as many as 21 at 60-39 and, ahead by just 12 at 69-57 in the last 2:20, came through with a 5-0 finishing kick. (SB)
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