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TEARS OF JOY AS PHILIPPINES NAILS WORLD CUP BERTH By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Sun, 11 Aug 2013  Alapag shines for Gilas. Philippine basketball fans from the high and mighty to the simple folk many of whom stood for hours outside to cheer and hug Gilas Pilipinas players as they did the rounds before stepping into their team bus, shed tears of joy the quest for a berth in the World Cup Championships in Spain was sealed with an epic victory over longtime nemesis South Korea before a sell-out crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena. With naturalized center Marcus Douthit limping off the court with 5 minutes to go in the second quarter and looking helpless on the bench, Marc Pingris, Ranidel De Ocanpo and Japeth Aguilar didn?t think about Douthit?s absence as they fought tooth and nail to fulfill the dreams of a nation. Douthit told us as he hobbled to the team bus that he will not play against Iran but that he would give Junmar Fajardo some tips on how to defend against the Iranian giant Hamed Haddadi while Fajardo himself told us his heart was ready for the challenge. Iran stormed back from a 14-23 first quarter deficit against Chinese-Taipei with a 17-0 run and then hammered home their advantage to win 79-60. Although the Iranians are huge and have the best point guard in Asia in Mahdi Kamrany, Coach Chot Reyes said ?our motivation coming into this game was very pure. We just wanted to get to the finals and make the Philippines proud. There was no revenge factor in our hearts going into this game. Although the Iranians are huge and have the best point guard in Asia in Mahdi Kamrany Reyes told his players in a post-game huddle ?we have achieved our objective now our dream is at hand. We are going all-out, They?ll have to carry us out of the court (Sunday).? Former national coach Rajko Toroman who led Iran to its first FIBA Asia Championships, told the Manila Standard on the eve of the Korean game that Gilas Pilipinas ?can win with this crowd and the way they are playing? even as he also predicted that Jimmy Alapag could explode, as he eventually did. He said ?I think this country and these people who love basketball deserve some pride from Asia and from all the world. Today?s game is to put Filipino basketball on the world map.? . The final score of 85-79 hardly reflected the grim struggle down the stretch when Korea went ahead 75-73 on two free throw conversions by Lee Seung Jun with 4:17 to play, forcing coach Chot Reyes to call a timeout. Marc Pingris who played through the pain because he wanted to go to Spain, scored inside to tie the count at 75-75 and after the referees who did Gilas Pilipinas no favors all game long waved off a clear goal-tending violation with 3:18 to go skipper Jimmy Alapag buried a mighty triple to ease Gilas in front 76-75 before Donggeun Yang regained the lead for Korea 76-77. Ranidel de Ocampo scored and on the next play converted a huge three point basket to ease the Philippines in front 81-77. The Philippines who were in early penalty situation while the rugged Koreans had only one foul nearly cost us the game especially when Yang Donggeun made two free throws as the Koreans threatened 79-81 with 1:14 remaining. That was when the Filipinos courageous heart exploded as Alapag nailed a triple and Pingris grit his teeth and scored inside after a South Korean timeout with 54 seconds to play to give Gilas Pilipinas an insurmountable 86-79 lead to end a classic contest. The players hugged each other, jumped for joy and cried their hearts out while the fans in the stands embraced each other, gave clenched fist signs, roared with one voice and also cried along with members of the Philippine media who have done a tremendous job in telling the story of the Philippines quest for glory. After Jeff Chan, as usual, started off with a triple, back to back baskets by Kim Joo Sung and a basket by deadly shooter Cho Sungmin pushed Korea in front 7-5 before Gabe Norwood tied the count at 7-7. Japeth Aguilar replaced a limping Pingris and immediately blocked a shot before Larry Fonacier and Aguilar scored but Korea edged in front 19-15 at the end of the first. Two successive baskets by Lee Jongyun and one of two free throws by Lee Seung Jun gave Korea a worrisome 28-21 lead before naturalized center Marcus Douthit coolly sank two free throws and Alapag nailed a triple to come within 2 at 26-28 with 5:00 minutes to go to halftime. Yang Donggeun hit a three pointer with 4 seconds left on the shot clock before Aguilar committed his third foul and the Korean converted his free throws followed by two additional free throws by Kim Mingoo to make it 37-31. Jayson Castro Williams scored on a drive and was fouled but failed to convert before Pingris made two freebies to come to within one at 36-37 but after a timeout by Reyes with 3.4 seconds left Kim Mingoo scored to send Korea into the locker room at the half, up 39-36. Jayson Castro Williams scored to open the third quarter following a clean block by De Ocampo and then ripped the hoops again to give the Philippines the lead 40-39 before a Pingris tap in, a Jayson triple, a Ranidel basket from top of the key and a huge three by LA Tenorio gave Gilas Pilipinas a 52-44 lead with 5:10 left in the third. Another basket by the 22 year old hotshot Kim Mingoo was promptly answered by an uncanny left handed scoop shot by De Ocampo to make it 54-46. Aguilar scored before a frustrated Cho Sungmin committed an offensive foul for his fourth before a Tenorio foul enabled Lee Jonghyun to convert two from the stripe to come to within 5, 53-58 with 2:31 left in the third. Alapag, carrying the burden like captain courageous, nailed another triple with 1:21 left in quarter No. 3 before Kim Mingcoo scored to make it 63-56 and Aguilar scored on a slam dunk to put an exclamation mark to a fruitful third stanza, 65-56. Mingcoo scored again and although Ranidel responded with a basket the deadly Korean shooter converted on a three-point shot and when Yang Donggeun scored with 8:37 to go in the game to cut the Philippine lead to 3 on an 8-2 run , there were concerns the Koreans may pull off an endgame caper like they?ve done in the past. After Tenorio missed a three, Japeth came to the rescue 69-64 but Lee Seung Jun scored before the Korean coach Yoo Jae Hak sued for time with 5:30 left and the Philippines up 71-66. Pingris scored inside before Mingcoo converted another huge triple and the referee called a foul on Chan to have the Koreans breathing down the necks of Gilas Pilipinas 73-72 and when Lee Seung Jun scored on a fastbreak the Koreans edged in front 74-73 and then converted one of two free throws to put Korea ahead 75-73 before a goal tending violation on a Pingris shot was waved off after lengthy consultation by the referees to the dismay of the Philippine coaching staff and the fans. Alapag erased the lead with another unbelievable triple showing his leadership and his coolness under fire before Yang Donggeun regained the lead for Korea 77-76. De Ocampo scored and then hammered home a three for an 81-77 Philippine lead. Two free throws by Yang Donggeun brought the dangerous Koreans to within 2, 81-79 before Alapag buried his fourth triple to give Gilas Pilipinas a 84-79 lead with 54 second left in the game forcing the Korean coach to call timeout. They failed to get anything going and Pingris finished them off with a basket inside for a final 86-79 count amidst a frenzy of cheers and unabashed tears. Alapag who finished with 14 points on four triples including the dagger three that ripped the heart out of the Koreans in the final minute said ?words can?t describe how we?re feeling right now. This is for our country. This is absolutely the sweetest for me. I?ve been here three times. I?ll always do my best, leave my heart and soul.? After a fairly long wait coach Reyes, De Ocampo and Pingris, two of the heroes in the series, entered the media room and sobbed uncontrollably leaning on each other for strength just like they did on the court. Finally, De Ocampo opened up, ?Thanks to all who believed and prayed. We dedicate our hardwork and sacrifice to our fans.? Pingris who brushed aside the pain like he brushed aside his Korean defenders said that when they went to Lithuania and New Zealand to train ?it was hard to be away from our families.? He then made a telling statement worth remembering ??we don?t earn much here. Its just sacrifice. I love playing for the national team. We?ll fight to the death. Its all heart and we?ll do everything for our country no matter what happens.? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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