Gilas stamps class vs Bahrain

HANGZHOU – The loudest cheers on this relatively quiet day for Team Philippines in the 19th Asian Games were those for Gilas Pilipinas.

Starring Justin Brownlee, a resident import in the PBA with the heart of a Filipino, the Gilas basketball team clobbered Bahrain, 89-61, at the start of its ambitious campaign here.

It was a resounding victory for Gilas, which led by as many as 34 points and was never really in trouble despite the tight opening minutes.

Filipinos came to see the most popular team in the Philippine delegation. They waved their flags and called the players by their names cheering from the stands.

In the end, June Mar Fajardo, a strong force inside the paint, flashed the thumbs-up sign as the players walked off the court.

It was victory No. 1 for Gilas, which will need a handful more, if they are to win the country’s first basketball gold in the Asian Games since 1962.

Coach Tim Cone was barely five years old when the Philippines, which treats basketball like religion, last won the gold in Jakarta, beating Japan in the final, 101-67.

The great Carlos Loyzaga and Kurt Bachmann, father of current Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann, were on that team.

But that was then, and this is now.

Cone liked what he saw. For one, the lopsided contest gave the late inclusions to the team, led by CJ Perez, the chance to blend well in an actual game.

”That was important for us to get that extra time. The five guys (including Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, Arvin Tolentino and Kevin Alas) are still feeling their way around,” said Cone.

Well, they don’t have much time to do that. Tomorrow, Gilas faces Thailand and on Saturday, it’s Jordan, a team led by a former PBA Best Import in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Then it’s on to the crucial rounds where one mistake could prove fatal.

“I can see that the players are happy. And when they’re happy, they will play well” said team manager Alfrancis Chua.

Gilas’ victory was good news for Team Philippines as action in this world-class sports spectacle shifted to high gear in scattered venues.

Three days after the magical opening rites, the Philippines has two bronze medals in the vault, courtesy of Patrick King Perez in poomsae and Jones Inso in wushu.

Also making some noise was boxer Carlo Paalam who advanced in the men’s 57kg class by scoring a unanimous decision against Jordan’s Mohammad Abu Jajeh. He joined fellow Tokyo Olympian medalist Eumir Marcial (80kg) in the next round. John Marvin makes his debut in the men’s 92kg class today while Nesthy Petecio, silver winner in Tokyo, sees action on Friday in the women’s 57kg.

Tennis ace Alex Eala rolled to her second straight win in singles competition, this time beating veteran Rutuja Bhosale of India, 7-6, (7-5), 6-2), for a quarterfinals slot. She needed 72 minutes this time following a 39-minute 6-0, 6-0 victory over Sarah Ibrahim Khan of Pakistan last Monday.

The men’s 3x3 squad followed suit with a 17-12 victory against Chinese-Taipei for a 2-0 record.

Margielyn Didal, gold medalist in skateboarding in the 2018 Asian Games, advanced to the street finals at the Qiantang Roller Sports Center, along with Renzo Mark Feliciano in the men’s side.

Tokyo Olympics silver and bronze medalist Kayla Sanchez, who gave up her Canadian citizenship to swim for the Philippines from hereon, came in fifth in the final of the women’s 100m freestyle at 54.69. In the morning, she topped her heat with a time of 54.70. The gold went to Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey at 52.17, a new Asian record, and was followed by two swimmers from China.

Sanchez was part of the Canadian team that won the silver in the 4x100m freestyle and the bronze in the 4x100m medley relay in Tokyo. At the swanky Aquatic Sports Arena here, she races by herself.

In the final of the women’s 200m backstroke, Xiandi Chua finished seventh 2:13.63. China’s Peng Xuwei bagged the gold in 2:07.28. Chloe Isleta bowed out of the same event earlier in the day.

Female Grandmaster Janelle Frayna moved forward after beating Vietnam’s Le Thao Nguyen in the women’s individual play.

The Philippine softball team hit the balls like they were stationary targets in an 11-0 drubbing of Thailand in Group B.