Fajardo puts on a show
Breaks out as Gilas bucks slow start to thwart Chinese Taipei
Basketball fans have always wondered why the Philippines’ most dominant cager hasn’t had a signature game in the national team.
That all changed Monday night when Gilas edged a pesky Chinese-Taipei side, 90-83 in the Philippines’ first home game in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Big Dome.
June Mar Fajardo, who recently made history by snaring four straight Most Valuable Player citations in the pro league, topped his FIBAhigh with 17 markers.
Gilas leaned on the Cebuano behemoth to buck a slow start and to equal Chinese-Taipei’s reliance on big man Quincy Davis III.
Fajardo asserted his presence as the visitors tried to wrest the lead, tie the game and come back in the game.
Matthew Wright RR Pogoy then took over halfway through the final frame, connecting long bombs after long bombs. Jayson Castro was brilliant anew, leading the Filipinos with 22 points.
Davis fouled out at the final two minutes of the game, paving the way for Gilas’ finishing touches. The Nationals, before a partisan crowd, widened the gap by as many as 14 points.
Gilas, which is now 2-0 in Group B, will have months worth of preparation before taking on powerhouse Australia on Feb. 22, 2018 on the road.
Chinese Taipei drops to 0-2 after miserably falling prey to the Boomers last week. — Philstar.com