Nats to erase HKG nightmare

MANILA, Philippines —  Gilas will take on Hong Kong in the second game of the second FIBA Asia Cup qualifying window at the MOA Arena on Sunday with the goal of duplicating its rout during the first window last February.

While the nightmarish memory of Hong Kong’s 66-58 win over the Philippines at the 2003 FIBA Asia Cup in Harbin, China, is a thing of the distant past, it remains an ugly stain in Gilas’ record. That was when the Philippines finished 15th of 16 with coach Aric del Rosario leading a squad that included Marc Pingris, Willy Wilson, Celino Cruz, Ricky Calimag, Richie Melencio and Emmerson Oreta.

Since that debacle, the Philippines has mowed down Hong Kong thrice in a row, 67-55 at the 2013 FIBA Asia Cup, 101-59 at the 2015 FIBA Asia Cup and 94-64 last February. This coming match takes an interesting twist since Hong Kong Eastern will join the PBA Commissioner’s Cup starting Nov. 27 as a guest team. However, Hong Kong national player Shiu Wah Leung is the only addition to the Eastern lineup.

Duncan Reid, 30, is the most recognizable name in the Hong Kong national roster. The 6-9 center from the University of Guelph in Canada is averaging a team-high 12.5 points in two FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers so far. Reid played for Hong Kong at the 2013, 2015 and 2017 FIBA Asia Cup and the 2014 and 2023 Asian Games. He saw action for Bay Area in the PBA 2022-23 Commissioner’s Cup.

Other Hong Kong standouts are New York-born Oliver Xu, 5-10 two-time Asian Games veteran Ricky Yang, 6-7 Lung Tak Tsai and Shiu. Xu, 26, led Hong Kong High School to a 24-2 record as a senior, averaging 24.6 points then played in 14 games over two seasons for Rice University, an NCAA D1 school in Houston. The 6-1 guard is norming 11.0 in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. His brother Adam is on the Eastern PBA cast. Yang, 21, tops Hong Kong in assists with 5.0 a game and is a two-time Asian Gamer. Tsai, 31, leads Hong Kong in rebounds with a 5.5 clip. Shiu, 27, is a 6-3 forward who saw action at the 2015 FIBA Asia Cup, 2017 World University Games and 2018 and 2023 Asian Games.