Breakthrough — RP shocks Ukraine

SONDRIO–Victory never tasted sweeter for the Philippine basketball team.

Battling back from blowout losses, the Selecta national squad upset Ukraine, 100-98, to finish third in the four-nation, three-day RP-Euro Basketball Challenge at the Palascieghi gym here Wednesday night.

It was a test of character for the gritty Filipinos who wound up their Italian campaign on a high note.

Sondrio sports minister Diego Pini awarded the third-place trophy to Philippine head of delegation Renauld Barrios, project director Carlos Velez, team manager Elmer Yanga, coach Joseph Uichico, and skipper Kenneth Duremdes after the game.

Ukraine–the former Soviet state that produced National Basketball Association (NBA) players Alexander Volkov, Vitaly Potapenko, and Stanislav Medvedenko–vaulted to a 9-0 start as the Filipinos got off cold. Then Danny Seigle sparked an uprising that leveled the count at 14-all with 3:10 left in the period. There were three ties before Alexander Rayevsky hit a buzzer-beating 40-foot triple to push Ukraine on top, 21-20, at the end of the first quarter.

Eric Menk’s basket put the Philippines in the driver’s seat, 27-26, for good early in the second period. A crippling 12-0 blast ballooned the Philippines’ margin to 13 as Ukranian coach Gennady Vashchuk threw a tantrum on the sidelines. Uichico repeatedly shuffled his players to keep fresh legs on the floor and Ukraine fell behind by 16 at the turn. Vashchuk was shell-shocked.

When Ukraine threatened in the third period, Asi Taulava went to work and scattered eight of his 21 points. But Rayevsky continued to wax hot, knocking down a triple as Ukraine trimmed the deficit to two, 71-69, at the end of the quarter.

Refusing to wilt under pressure, the Filipinos found their second wind and ignited a 13-0 bomb–eight from Duremdes–after Ukraine knotted the count, 73-all, at the start of the final period. Still, Rayevsky wasn’t finished. The spitfirish 6-1 point guard shot 17 of his 37 points in the last 10 minutes as Ukraine came within two, 97-95, time down to 9.4 ticks. Then Seigle buried two free throws to make it 99-95. Rayevsky countered with his fifth trey as Ukraine was just a point away, 99-98. Olsen Racela was fouled to stop the clock with 3.4 seconds left and sank 1-of-2 free throws. His second shot clanged the back iron and with Ukraine unable to call a timeout after the rebound, Yvacheslav Yevstratenko hurled a desperation midcourt shot that harmlessly bounced off the board.

Duremdes shot 22 points, including 6-of-12 triples, to lead the Philippines’ charge. Taulava fired 21 and grabbed 13 rebounds. Seigle knocked in 20.

Uichico said the win was a fitting climax to a fruitful campaign. ‘We’re slowly adjusting to the international style," he noted. "We realize our deficiencies and we know what to work on for the Asian Games."

Beating Ukraine was a morale booster. But it’s no reason to celebrate. The early losses were a blessing in disguise, a wake-up call. This was a learning experience for us. We’re improving day by day. Now, we’re on track."