Batang Gilas upends Egypt

Seven-foot-one Kai Zachary Sotto scored 28 points and pulled down 17 rebounds as Batang Gilas scored its first victory at the expense of perennial African contender Egypt, 70-69, yesterday in the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup at the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional in Santa Fe, Argentina.

After dropping their first five matches, including a 95-59 decision to reigning African Under-16 champion Mali at the start of the classification phase last Saturday, the Nationals held off the Egyptians through Sotto’s four crucial free throws that gave them a 70-66 cushion with eight seconds left.

The Nationals, already assured of surpassing their 15th place showing in the 2014 edition held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will wind up their campaign against Asian Under-16 bronze medalist New Zealand in the battle for 13th place today.