PBA stars rally to send Shanghai Sharks home winless

MANILA, Philippines – The PBA Selection showed great resolve in a come-from-behind 80-71 win over the visiting Shanghai Sharks at the conclusion of the two-day Philippines-China Friendship Games at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday night.

The PBA selection went on a furious 20-4 tear in the fourth quarter to erase a seven-point deficit and gave the visiting Chinese ballclub of former NBA player Yao Ming their second straight loss on Philippine soil.

The Gilas Pilipinas national team beat the Sharks yesterday in an almost identical score, 80-72.

Using their size advantage to the hilt, the Sharks were in control, building a 67-60 lead early in the fourth quarter. But that proved to be short-lived as Rain or Shine playmaker Paul Lee had a 3-pointer and two steals in a telling 11-2 exchange to bring the Filipinos to the driver's seat, 71-69.

The Sharks tied the game for the last time at 71-all at the stripes, but a booming triple from Air21's Nino Canaleta fueled a 9-0 finishing kick in the final two minutes.

Rain or Shine bruiser Beau Belga more than held his own against Sharks' star center Zhang Zhaoxu, who posed the biggest problem to the PBA selection.

Giving up a nine-inch advantage in height, the 6-5 Belga scored 16 points and hauled down nine boards to help the PBA Selection neutralize the 7-3 Zhang, who gave the Chinese an eight-point spread in the fourth, 63-55, on two free throws and tied the game for one last time at 71-all again at the stripes.

Belga drew the loudest cheers from the crowd when he made his patented shot fake that saw his Chinese defender turning back to look at the rim during the PBA selection's furious rally in the payoff period.

The game will be telecast on Saturday at Sports 5's AKTV on IBC 13 after Game 4 of the PBA semifinals series between the Alaska Aces and the San Mig Coffee Mixers.