Manila-esque: Batang Gilas stuns host Qatar in epic win

MANILA, Philippines – Bouyed up by a strong Filipino crowd abroad, Batang Gilas rallied from 15 points down in the fourth quarter to stun host Qatar in an epic come-from-behind 82-79 victory Saturday in the second round of the FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship at the Al-Gharafa Sports Club Hall in Doha, Qatar.

Qatar has silenced the dominant Filipino crowd inside the venue when they erected a 15-point lead, 63-58, with 7:43 left in the game.

But it was enough time for the Filipinos to put up a courageous stand to book their second win in three games.

It was the Batang Gilas’ turn to shut down Qatar much to the jubilation of what was described by FIBA Asia reporters as Manila-esque crowd as Filipino fans outnumbered the home team’s supporters inside the overflowing 3,000-seater gym.

Wilson Dave Yu came out of nowhere to finish with 16 points after only averaging 2.5 points in Batang Gilas’ first two games.

Ranbill Tongco, Kobe Paras and Paul Desiderio preserved Yu’s career game with their own heroics down the stretch to pull off the massive victory. They all wound up with 13 points each with Tongco adding six rebounds and four assists while Paras chipped in four boards and four steals and Desiderio lacing it up with three assists and two steals.

The Batang Gilas were still trailing by three, 76-79, in the final 52 seconds when Tongco scored off his own miss while Paras and Desiderio made crucial steals. Tongco Paras and Tongco split their charities to seal the win that boosted Batang Gilas of a better pairing in the quarterfinals.  

They survived Qatar’s Abdulrahman Mohamed Saad explosion who made 35 points that went with 13 rebounds, three assists and four steals to lead Qatar.

Saad, who is an All Star in Qatar’s pro league while playing for first league division champion Al Gharafa, has scored a tournament-high 40 points against India in their first game. The 6-1 forward, however, was coming off a three-point performance in their 18-89 loss to China the other day.  

In this game, Saad and the rest of Qatar cracked under pressure when the Filipinos stormed back in the fourth quarter.

The Filipinos struggled early on against the home team trailing by three in the opening quarter, 19-22, before claiming a slim 40-39 lead at the break.

The Qataris went on a run in the third canto as the Filipinos’ defense broke down and took an 11-point lead, 64-53, heading into the final quarter.

Just when the home team thought that the Batang Gilas were done, they were proven wrong.  Yu shot 4-of-9 from the three-point region as he led the Filipinos’ uprising.

Batang Gilas will next face China on Sunday.  

The scores:

Philippines 82 – Yu 16, Paras 13, Desiderio 13, Tongco 13, Escoto 7, Mosqueda 6, Caracut 6, Dyke 4, Go 2, Black 2.

Qatar 79 – Saad 35, Abdelhaleem 15, Alyousif 13, Abed 8, Alshawaqfeh 3, Aql 2.

Quarters: 19-22, 40-39, 64-53, 82-79.