GILAS PILIPINAS EXITS IN A BLAZE OF GLORY!
SEVILLE, Spain – Talk about going out in a blaze of glory.
In a game eerily reminiscent to the one Gilas Pilipinas dramatically fashioned before a screaming and weeping home crowd not too long ago, the Nationals lost Andray Blatche to foul disqualification with 1:55 left in overtime but incredibly hung on to beat Senegal, 81-79, and end a string of excruciating close calls in the FIBA Basketball World Cup at the Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo here.
Though denied a shot at making it to the Round of 16 and a potential face-off with host Spain after dropping its first four games, three of them agonizing heartbreakers, the Philippines left its mark on the global stage after a 36-year-absence by holding its own against the FIBA Africa qualifier which earlier slew Puerto Rico and Croatia, both Gilas tormentors.
And the Nationals did it without Blatche, the 6-foot-11 naturalized player who picked up his fifth foul with the score tied, 69-all, and Senegal’s point guard Xane D’Almeida going to the foul line.
D’Almeida hit both and history repeating itself was blissfully set for Philippine basketball where back in August last year, during the semifinal of the FIBA Asia Championship against longtime nemesis South Korea, Gilas Pilipinas lost previous naturalized player Marcus Douthit to a leg injury in the second quarter.
Instead of folding, the Nationals, with 15,000 supporters rallying behind them with deafening force, came together in a spectacular display of unity to thwart South Korea, 86-79, and qualify to the world championship.
The people behind Gilas was considerably less this time, but their belief never faltered and their roar rocked the venue.
Neither did the players give up, from June Mar Fajardo, who played the game of his life, to LA Tenorio, Gabe Norwood, Ranidel de Ocampo and again Jimmy Alapag.
Oh yes, Jimmy Alapag, whose one final wish before retiring from international play was to have one last game like his blistering five second half 3-pointers against Argentina Tuesday.
Alapag buried three triples against the Senegalese and his six free throws in the extra period and steadfast leadership withstood all the full-court pressure the tall and quick African team could muster against him.
From trailing 71-69 after Blatche fouled out, the Philippines went on a 10-5 run to open a 79-74 lead with 11 seconds remaining on a Norwood free throws.
And when Senegal’s 7-foot center Gorgui Dieng of the Minnesota Timberwolves cut the deficit with a slam dunk, Alapag, who survived a frightening fall earlier that also saw Tenorio going after Dieng for clothes-lining him, hit two free throws to complete his swan song with a sweeping bow.
“We’ve shown that we can compete, we’ve shown that we belong, and now we’ve shown that we can win,” said national coach Chot Reyes.
The Philippines wrapped up its participation in the world championship and will proceed next to Incheon, South Korea for the Asian Games.
Blatche had 18 points and 14 rebounds while Alapag also had 18 points with four assists. Fajardo, showing no fear of NBA players, battled Dieng on even terms, the way he did Argentina’s Luis Scola of the Indiana Pacers, scoring 15 points with 9 rebounds.
His power move underneath tied the game for the last time, 71-all, with 1:34 left and his two cold-blooded free throws made it 75-71 inside the final minute.
Croatia vs Puerto Rico and Greece vs Argentina were playing at presstime rounding up Group B preliminaries. (WRJT)
Scores:
The Scores:
GILAS PILIPINAS 81 – Alapag 18, Blatche 18, Fajardo 15, Norwood 7, Lee 6, Aguilar 6, Tenorio 5, Chan 4, De Ocampo 2, Pingris 0, David 0.
SENEGAL 79 – Faye 20, Ndoye 13, Ndour 13, Dieng 13, D’Almeida 9, Ndiaye 5, Thomas 2, Diop 2, Badji 2.
Quarters: 13-19, 37-24, 53-44, 64-all, 81-79.
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