PHL U-16 five turns back India, forges quarters clash with Iran

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines survived India's torrid 3-point shooting as it hacked out a 78-67 victory to clinch the top seeding in its group and arrange a quarterfinal showdown with Iran in the third FIBA-Asia Under-16 Championship in Tehran, Iran on Tuesday.

Hope Christian School's Jolo Go exploded with a game-high 26 points, including six booming triples, as the Nationals forge a three-way logjam with Japan and Chinese Taipei on a 4-1 (win-loss) record atop Group F before emerging with the highest tiebreak score to snatch the top seeding.

Go's 3-pointers, however, were the only ones the Filipinos, mentored by former multi-titled Ateneo high school coach Jamike Jarin, made from that area as compared to the Indian's 12 conversions.

Thankfully, the Phl had to rely on its pressing defense to force India, which was eventually edged by Kazakhstan also via the tiebreaker for the last spot in the quarters, to turn the ball a disastrous 21 times.

Ateneo's Mike Nieto continued to play solidly as he finished with 16 points and eight rebounds as he is now averaging an impressive 17 points and 13 rebounds the whole tournament.

The Filipino youth cagers thus forged an intriguing quarterfinal showdown with Iran, which was routed by giant-slaying Bahrain Monday, 50-70. The country edged Syria with a better tiebreak to catch the last bus to the playoff stage.

The Filipinos are expected to seek revenge against the Iranians, who turned back the latter in overtime, 83-73 in the bronze medal match in the biennial meet's first edition in four years ago in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, in their 10 p.m. (Phl time) encounter Thursday.

The Phl is also gunning for a win that will match its semifinal finish in Johor Bahru and in Nha Thrang, Vietnam two years back under then coach Olsen Racela and under the Energen Pilipinas banner.

The Nationals also got some help from the Japanese, who pulled the rug from the previously unbeaten Taiwanese in a lopsided 96-76 rout the day before that, paving the way for the three-way tie at the helm.

The Phl lost to Chinese Taipei last Friday, 90-95, but walloped Japan Sunday, 94-76.

Along the way, the Filipinos dumped the Jordanians, 73-60, Saturday and edged a feisty Kazakhstan side Thursday, 90-88.