Gilas, Blatche upend TnT, face Saints today

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. – Talk n Text vs Chinese Taipei

5:15 p.m. – New Zealand vs Gilas Pilipinas

MANILA, Philippines - Gilas Pilipinas, strengthened by the return of naturalized player Andray Blatche, stretched to four games its hot romp from the Jones Cup as it smothered Talk n Text, 93-77, at the start of the Master Game Face MVP Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Blatche came up with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in his first game with Gilas since their Estonian trip, helping the Nationals stay on a roll from their second-place finish in the Taipei invitational meet.

The Nationals are tipped to get a tougher test as they tangle with the Wellington Saints of New Zealand at 5:15 p.m. today, also at the Big Dome.

The Saints, upended by Chinese Taipei in the recent Jones Cup, struck back hard at the Taiwanese, unleashing their full might in the second half on the way to a 108-80 rout in the opening game of the four-team, three-day pocket tourney.

Jayson Castro and Dondon Hontiveros delivered at crunch time as the Nationals barely overcame the Kiwis, 92-88, in overtime in the Jones Cup.

Terrence Romeo nailed down four three-pointers and finished with a game-high 22 points, Castro fired 14 markers while Ranidel de Ocampo rifled in 12 to lead Gilas past Talk n Text.

“It felt like a scrimmage to me. We’re a bit upset in the first half with our defensive intensity. It didn’t feel like an international game. But we shook it up in the third quarter,” said Gilas coach Tab Baldwin.

“We’ll be stiffened up (tonight by New Zealand). They want to win the championship and that’s good for us. Hopefully, we play better,” Baldwin added.

Blatche huffed and puffed towards the end of his 25-minute stint on the floor where he struggled with a 4-of-14 field shooting.

But Baldwin was not alarmed by it.

“Andray didn’t hit his outside shots but it’s coming. That’s normal as he’s been away for some time. It will come back to him easily. He needs time,” said the Gilas coach.

“His transition game is not yet there. But one thing you don’t see in Andray is his defensive intelligence. That was there tonight,” he added.

Against New Zealand, Baldwin sees a simulation of the China game.

 “That’s the kind of test we want. We have to improve our overall intensity, but I feel we will,” he said.

Guard Brook Ruscoe and big men Ray Turner, Bryan Davis, Jameel Watkins and Richie Edward put in big numbers as the Saints walloped the Taiwanese even minus gunner Eric Devendorf who flew home yesterday morning to attend to a personal concern.

The Saints clobbered the Taiwanese at the paint with a tall lineup that became bigger with the addition of Watkins, a veteran PBA import. The Taiwanese, on the other hand, missed the services of star center/forward Tseng Wen-ting.

Chinese Taipei dragged Wellington to a battle in the first half with a fiery 9-of-18 three-point shooting as against the Saints’ measly 1-of-9 clip.

Despite a complete domination off the boards, the Saints led by only three, 45-42, at the half.

Stepping up their game in their return from the halftime huddle, the Saints pulled away at 65-49 on a 20-7 tear.

Ruscoe fired three triples and finished with 25 points while Turner also scored 25 points and added nine rebounds and one assist.

Davis added 18 markers and eight boards while Watkins contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Liu Cheng top scored for the Taiwanese with 13 points off the bench with Tien Lei and Tsai Wen-cheng adding 11 apiece.

Naturalized player Quincy Davis was neutralized by the Kiwis, held down to eight markers and six boards.

The scores:

Wellington 108 – Ruscoe 25, Turner 25, Davis 18, Watkins 14, Edwards 13, Braswell 8, Newton 3, Ekenasio 2, Bloxham 0, Mills 0.

Chinese Taipei 80 – Liu 13, Tien 11, Tsai 11, Lu 9, Davis 8, Wu 7, Chen SH 7, Chen SC 5, Hung 5, Chen SN 4, Lin 0.

Quarterscores: 31-24, 45-42, 76-60, 108-80

Second Game

Gilas Pilipinas 93 – Romeo 22, Castro 14, Blatche 12, De Ocampo 12, Abueva 8, Intal 7, Taulava 6, Thoss 6, Ganuelas 4, Pingris 2, Hontiveros 0, Norwood 0.

Talk n Text 77 – Fonacier 20, Tautuaa 16, Rodriguez 12, Seigle 8, Rosario 5, Sumalinog 5, Reyes R. 3, Miranda 2, Carey 2, Reyes JA 2, Labagala 2, Espiritu 0.

Quarterscores: 23-22, 45-40, 69-52, 93-77