Gallant Gilas bows out, yields to Korea

GUANGZHOU – Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas put up a brave front but simply couldn’t neutralize South Korea’s torrid shooting to absorb 66-74 defeat in their quarterfinal match in the 16th Asian Games basketball competitions at the Huangpu Gymnasium here yesterday.

The Koreans, a team honed by former NBA coach Lenny Wilkens, torched the Filipinos with a 48-percent shooting as they won the contest that sent them to the semifinals versus the winner of the Japan-North Korea duel.

The Filipinos took the early initiatives before the Koreans imposed their game, seized control at 48-36 and held sway the rest of the game.

Unable to launch a full-blown rally after falling behind by 12, Smart Gilas Phl was relegated to the classification round where the best it can get is fifth place.

The Filipinos are out of the Asiad semifinals for the first time since finishing fifth in the 1978 Bangkok Games. The Philippines did not see action in the 2006 Doha Games.

“We couldn’t make our outside shots and we couldn’t get our game going,” rued Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman.

“It was a tough game we lost. Everyone’s very disappointed but we’ll do our best to salvage fifth place,” Toroman added.

“South Korea was the better team in this game. They made their shots and defended very well our wings. They’re all running and even their big guys can shoot,” said Smart Gilas skipper Chris Tiu.

“It could have been different had we won the Japan game. We lost by only two and that sent us to a difficult quarter pairing with Korea,” Tiu added.

Japan, meanwhile, overwhelmed North Korea, 92-75, in the other quarterfinal game with the North Koreans battling it out with the Filipinos in the first stage of the classification round starting at 2 p.m. today.

Outclassed in outside shooting, the Nationals stayed in the game with Asi Taulava pounding the opposition at the paint, coming through with a game-high 23 points.

“We went to Asi inside as they had our wings well covered,” said Tiu.

Tiu and Mac Baracael went 0-of-4 with JV Casio and Marcio Lassiter accounting for two each in the team’s 4-of-18 total three-point shooting.

The Koreans took a 44-36 cushion at the half on 50-percent shooting from the three-point area and 58-percent clip from the two-point zone.

Hardly slowing down, the Koreans stayed in control through the final half, keeping leads of no less than five.

The Filipinos had their final run, getting to within six at 66-72 inside the final minute.

Smart Gilas Phl closed in earlier at 49-54 on a 9-3 tear by Taulava, Casio and Kelly Williams. But Korea banged away clutch outside shots each time Smart Gilas would threaten to come close.

Reserve center Oh Sekeun converted three of four three-point attempts and led the Koreans with 19 points and nine rebounds.

Kim Sung Chul got three triples and a total of 13 points while Lee Seung Jun made two treys and a total of 12 markers.

Toroman rotated only eight men in the contest with Casio the only other player, aside from Taulava, finishing in double figures with 12.

The combination of Taulava, Casio, Tiu, Lassiter and Williams actually gave the team a good start, leading by four at 19-15 towards the end of the opening quarter.

The Koreans darted ahead at 30-19 at the onset of the second period but the Filipinos fought back, charging to within one at 34-35.

Then came the decisive attack giving Korea the momentum that carried them through to the finish.