Douthit plays smart, keys Gilas win

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Gilas Pilipinas got the needed lift from naturalization candidate Marcus Douthit as it dumped China’s Donguan team, 74-64, at the start of the 2010 Smart Philippine Invitational Challenge at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last night.

The 6-foot-10 Douthit piled up 26 points including 10 in a key fourth quarter run leading to a victorious start by the host team in the short three-nation event.

The former Providence standout also came through with nine rebounds, three steals and one block in a performance impressing his coach and teammates.

“He played smart,” said Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman of Douthit

Injury-plagued Jordan leaned on the exploits of Sam Daghles and Zaid Abbas to quash a ferocious endgame rally by Barangay Ginebra for an 84-81 victory earlier.

Islam Abbas stepped up in the absence of their key big men, piling up 21 points before fouling out then Daghles and Abbas took over and made things happen for Jordan in the final stretch.

Daghles scored six of his 10 points in the final three minutes while Abbas, who played for the Shanghai Sharks where he averaged 11.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.1 steals, two rebounds and a block a game, made 17 points, including three key free throws that sealed their win.

“We played badly. We played good basketball only in the first 10 minutes,” said coach Mario Palma of the visiting team set to compete in the FIBA World Championship slated Aug. 28-Sept. 12 in Turkey.

Jordan and Smart Gilas Pilipinas play today in a rematch of their clash in last January’s import-laced Dubai Invitational. The Filipinos beat the Jordanians and finished a strong third in Dubai.

Palma said his team is unhealthy with big men – seven-foot Ayman Dais, 7-foot-2 Jamal Maaytah and six-foot-10 Zaid Al-Kas – nursing injuries and naturalized player Rasheim Wright just back from an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury.

Jordan came from a nine-game swing in China.

“We lost three centers to injuries, Rasheim Wright only started to play five days ago and the team is tired after playing nine games in China,” said Palma, who steered the Angolan national team to a pair of Olympic stints before accepting the Jordan job.