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Philippines, 25 Nov 2024 |
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GILAS PILIPINAS SUFFERS ANOTHER HEARTBREAKER, LOSES TO ARGENTINA 85-81 By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Tue, 02 Sep 2014  Gilas Pilipinas suffered another heartbreaker in the FIBA World Cup Group B competition losing to Argentina, the third ranked team in the world, 85-81 in Seville, Spain following its opening day overtime loss to Croatia in a game where the referees calls and crucial non-calls decided the outcome prompting coach Chot Reyes to lament, ?they don?t respect us. We deserve better.? Since then the Philippines arguably showed we deserved respect when they battled FIBA?s world No. 5 ranked Greece squad all the way and then gave Argentina a scare in an epic comeback from 10 points down 71-61 going into the final quarter to come to within one point at 82-81 in the last two minutes on one of captain Jimmy Alapag?s five triples that helped keep the Philippines in the game to the bitter end. However, 6?7 forward Andres Nocioni coolly converted four straight free throws in the dying seconds of the game in which the Philippine woes were compounded by turnovers caused by naturalized player Andray Blatche who was sandwiched and bumped as he tried to drive to the basket plus another traveling violation slapped on Jason Castro with just over 11 seconds left in the game. The Gilas Pilipinas team for the first time in three games started aggressively and behind some excellent outside shooting by Ranidel de Ocampo and back-to-back triples by Castro gave the nationals a 12-2 lead with Andray Blatche seated on the bench after picking up two early fouls. Junmar Fajardo continued his fine showing in the last encounter against Greece with another solid game after which de Ocampo buried a triple and Gabe Norwood soared high for a slam dunk over the Indiana Pacers 6?9? Luis Scola that rattled the Argentines. A pump fake by Fajardo saw Scola pick up his second foul forcing the Argentine coach to pull him out and replace him with veteran Leonardo Gutierrez, the 36 year old 6?7? forward. A jumper by Japeth Aguilar and a four point play by Paul Lee who was fouled as he launched his shot from the left corner pushed the Philippines ahead 25-17 before Facundo Campazzo scored inside, Walter Hermann knocked down a three and Aguilar missed two free throws to end the quarter with the Philippines ahead 25-22. Lee opened the second quarter with a basket, de Ocampo spun to the basket and scored before nailing a triple to open up a 10 point lead, 32-22 with 7:12 left in the second quarter. Baskets by Scola and Hermann and two free throws by Scola on a hard foul by Fajardo trimmed the Gilas lead to 32-28 before Fajardo scored off a perfect pass from de Ocampo and played some great defense before scoring again to push the Philippine lead to 36-28 after a time out. A 24 second violation by Gilas Pilpinas followed by back-to-back triples by Argentina plus two free throws by Scola on a Norwood foul pushed Argentina ahead 40-36 but Blatche split a double team to score before Marcos Mata got a lucky bounce on a buzzer-beating three that capped a 15-2 run by Argentina to give them a 43-38 halftime lead. Blatche pulled off a steal and scored on a fastbreak and when LA Tenorio sank all three free throws when he was fouled while taking a triple Gilas cut the Argentine lead to 48-46 before Norwood with a cracking left-handed dunk tied the score at 48-48 and was clearly fouled as shown on the TV replay but no foul was called. Castro answered a three-point shot by Argentina before triples by Pablo Frigioni plus two open threes by Scola gave Argentina their biggest lead of the game, 68-53. Three mighty triples by team captain Jimmy Alapag who led his team with incredible aplomb and a last second basket by Blatche trimmed the Argentine lead to ten, 71-61 going into the final quarter. After Scola missed a wide open three de Ocampo scored inside, Alapag hammered home another three, Gilas forced a turnover and when they buried another triple the Philippines had clawed back to within 2 points, 71-69 with just over 8:00 minutes left in the game. Both the Filipino and Argentine supporters were on their feet and when Alapag drove and was fouled, he looked at the referee wondering why he didn?t blow his whistle. With 2 seconds to go on the shot clock Blatche was fouled, made both free throws to stop the Argentine juggernaut of three point shots. Alapag converted another triple but Mata answered right back with a triple of his own after which Blatche scored to trim the lead to 82-78 before the amazing Alapag who had earlier announced the World Cup would be his final stint for the Philippines hammered home one last shot from beyond the arc to breathe down the Argentines necks 82-81. But a Philippine turnover and fouls on Nocioni didn?t help as the 34 year old 6?7? forward made all four the free throws to give Argentina its second win against one loss which left the gallant Gilas Filipinas team agonizing over another heartbreaking defeat which means they have to beat Puerto Rico and Senegal to have an outside chance of making it to the next round. De Ocampo had his best game to date to win ?Player of the Game? honors with 18 points while Alapag behind his five triples finished with 15 and Blatche added 14 points and 15 big rebounds. Norwood whose monster jam over Scola and another left handed dunk later in the game was honored as the Smart Gilas ?Player of the Game.? For the third time in Group B games, Scola led Argentina with 19 points. Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao who was on the TV5 panel asked our countrymen ?don?t look at the losses look at how we fought? even as he emphasized that ?no top team in the world is going to take us for granted.? The Argentine coach congratulated Chot and said ?this was the most uncomfortable game of my life.? Reyes was proud of his team pointing out that ?we came back from 15 points down against the No. 3 team in the world? even as he noted that ?if we were down by 20 would it have been easier to take?? and answered his own question, ?that?s not in this team?s nature. We battle all the way.? He noted that despite being down by 10 points entering the fourth quarter ?our players still wouldn?t quit, and added that?s the reason it hurts so much because my boys never quit.? He said the Argentines ?didn?t give Jimmy room to breathe in the end game and embraced him? so he couldn?t get free but that Gilas Pilipinas went for the win. Since they had three guards in the line-up in the end game there was nobody to give Castro a pick and he traveled in the dying seconds after Reyes had to pull out de Ocampo who was cramping. The English commentators on the BTV coverage remarked ?Argentina will remember the Philippines for this game.? Reyes revealed that Blatche was ?banged up by Nocioni? and the traveling called on Blatche should have been a foul since he was roughed up while trying to drive to the basket. He said Blatche who has shown exemplary character by playing through the pain and discomfort of a slightly twisted knee and not bothering to protect his NBA career by playing hurt, ?cried like a baby after the game.? The coach said they will have a welcome rest day on Tuesday before they face Puerto Rico on Wednesday and Senegal on Thursday in must-win games if Gilas Pilipinas has an outside chance to qualify. Scores: Argentina (85) ? Scola 19, Mata 17, Laprovittola 10, Herrmann 10, Nocioni 9, Campazzo 9, Prigioni 8, Gutierrez 3. Gilas Pilipinas (81) ? De Ocampo 18, Alapag 15, Blatche 14, Castro 11, Norwood 6, Fajardo 6, Lee 6, Tenorio 3, Aguilar 2, Pingris 0, Chan 0. Quarterscores: 22-25, 43-38, 71-61, 85-81. Photo: Blatche scores over Scola. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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