GILAS Pilipinas keeps its medal hopes alive after defeating Qatar, 80-41, in the qualification match for the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
The Philippine team recovered from a 25-point loss to the Jordan team led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, winning 87-62.
Early in the game, Gilas jumped out to an early lead, leading 33-14 at the end of the first quarter. The squad was able to keep the lead for the entire game.
With a comfortable advantage, Gilas Pilipinas was able to rest most of its players, knowing that their next game against Iran is less than 24 hours away.
Despite playing limited minutes, June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez were able to provide 12 points each to lead the national team.
While playing in only two quarters, Calvin Oftana, who was clearly trying to make up for his prior performance, managed to score at least 11 points. Justin Brownlee added nine additional points despite being limited in minutes.
Ange Kouame had eight points, 10 rebounds, three blocked shots, along with five turnovers. Kouame, who is having difficulty playing consistently, was the only Gilas player to play for more than 20 minutes.
Gilas can anticipate Iran to be well-rested and confident after sweeping Group A. The game today will begin at 12 p.m. at the same location.
A win today will elevate Gilas to the Final Four, where they might face host China, who they defeated in the previous FIBA World Cup.
Women’s Team
Gilas Pilipinas Women, on the other hand, were unable to advance after falling to South Korea, 93-71, in their Quarterfinal encounter yesterday.
Despite the loss, Khate Castillo led the Women’s squad with 18 points, all from beyond the arc.
Castillo was followed by Jack Animam, who had 15 points, 14 rebounds, and two steals, and Afril Bernardino, who had 12 points, five assists, three rebounds, and two steals.
The bid of Gilas Pilipinas Women’s for the Asian Games came to an end with back-to-back blowout losses to Japan and South Korea.
