GILAS FALLS TO KOREA
The Korean curse hit the Philippines yet again.
American-South Korean hotshot Moon Tae-Jong scattered 38 points as Korea came charging back from a 16-point deficit and eked out a 97-95 win over Gilas Pilipinas for a guaranteed semifinals entry in the 17th Asian Games men’s basketball competition in Incheon, Korea Saturday.
Outshot by the Filipinos most of the way, the Koreans drained their missiles when they needed it the most, pulling off the dramatic victory that avenged their loss to Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Championship semifinals in Manila last year.
For the Filipinos, it was Busan all over again with Team PHL bungling what had looked like a won ball game at the finish.
With a second straight loss in the quarterfinals, Gilas Pilipinas practically kissed its medal-round hopes good bye. A Qatar win over Kazakhstan later in the day will slam the semis door close on the Filipinos, relegating them to the consolation round.
Gilas Pilipinas lost the game playing minus naturalized player Marcus Douthit.
Nonetheless, Gilas fought hard, enjoying a 16-point spread at 68-52 only to crumble in the payoff period.
“I’m very proud of my boys. They came out and fought hard. We fought up to the very end,” said Gilas coach Chot Reyes, taking full responsibility for the loss.
“The entire responsibility falls on my shoulders. I want to apologize to our people,” said Reyes, pointing out later he benched Douthit for disciplinary reasons.
Gilas was in the thick of the fight until Jimmy Alapag missed a harried three-point shot, before Moon set up Hee Jong for his own three-pointer, making it 93-89 for Korea with 31.9 ticks to go.
Trailing most of the way, the Koreans seized the lead at 84-82 with 5:33 left following back-to-back treys and twinner by Moon, also known as Jaron Stevenson, his American name.
“He was making shots with defense all over him. Someone gets in a zone like that, it’s hard to stop,” said Reyes of the explosive game of the 6-foot-7 gunner from Richmond U.
Alapag engaged Moon in a shootout early on with the pint-sized Filipino guard going 5-of-7 from beyond the arc as Gilas took the half at 51-44.
With June Mar Fajardo, Jeff Chan and Ranidel de Ocampo also making their shots, the Nationals built their 16-point spread at 68-52, but the Koreans were quick to get back into the game, pulling to within one at 71-72 going into the payoff period.
With everyone making shots when left open, the Koreans eventually took control at endgame, dealing the Filipinos a loss that was as painful as their Busan defeat in 2002.
“That’s the big difference between a 5-10 guy and a 6-7. It takes double the effort for him to get his shot up. In the end he cramped up,” said Reyes of Alapag’s shootout with Moon. (SB)
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