Batang Gilas raps Lebanon in Fiba Asia U-18
Revellers, Scorpions dispute 2nd finals berth
Games today (Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig) 5 p.m. – CEU vs Che’Lu Bar and Grill
No. 4 Centro Escolar University has the momentum but top seed Che’Lu Bar and Grill has the manpower and experience which it hopes to flaunt in their knockout duel for the last finals berth at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig today.
The Revellers actually had the chance to wrap it up after a 112-97 victory in the opener of the bestof-three semifinal series but the Scorpions pulled off a shock 83-78 Game Two triumph, setting up the rubber match for the right to face the Go for Gold Scratchers for the PBA D-League Foundation Cup crown.
Rich Guinitaran and Orlan Wamar came up big down the stretch in Game Two to derail the heavily favored Revellers in their drive for a second straight finals appearance. Gametime is at 5 p.m. No. 2 Go for Gold swept third-ranked Marinerong Pilipino-Technological Institute of the Philippines in their side of the semis on a stellar triple-double game by MVP candidate Gab Banal in Game Two.
“We are a young and short team against a veteran squad. We have overachieved in tying the series. We manned up (in Game Two). We can’t think we are a young college team. We have to man up and that’s what we did. We stood our ground, we fought to the very end,” said CEU interim coach Derrick Pumaren.
AJ Edu and Dolph Panopio lived up to hype in their first team up with Kai Sotto as Batang Gilas blasted Lebanon, 75-53, to kick off its campaign in the 2018 FIBA-Asia U18 Championship at the Studio 29 in Bangkok, Thailand Sunday night.
The 6-10 Edu, a Fil-Nigerian now studying at University of Toledo in Ohio, US, dished out a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds with five blocks to boot while Panopio, a guard who declined Italy’s offer to join its youth team for a chance to play for the Phl, likewise turned in an impressive 12-point, four-rebound, six-assist and three-steal performance as they powered the Batang Gilas to a 22-point romp.
The strong start should boost Team Phl’s spirits and confidence as they fight for one of the four slots to the FIBA U19 World Cup at a still unspecified venue next year. Batang Gilas was playing United Arab Emirates at presstime before closing out its Group B stint against fancied China at 5:45 p.m. today.
The 7-1 Sotto also finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and a shot block while Dave Ildefonso paced the squad with 19 points, the bulk coming in the first half when they seized control.
The Filipinos held the Lebanese to a 31-percent shooting clip that saw the latter miss 49 of their 71 shots.
The Nationals also dominated the boards, 61-36, with Raven Cortez and Miguel Oczon pulling down nine and seven caroms, respectively.–
The scores: Batang Gilas 75 – Ildefonso 19, Edu 17, Panopio 12, Sotto 12, Ramirez 5, Amsali 5, Cortez 2, Chiu 2, Abadiano 1, Oczon 0, Torres 0, Lina 0
Lebanon 53 – Zanbaka 12, Kopaly 9, Dargham 7, Bedikian 6, Kasab 6, Htait 5, Khoueiry 3, Khayat 2, Mougharbel 2, Saade 1, Samaha 0, Karime 0
Quarterscores: 25-15; 41-33; 59-41; 75-53