Pilipinas Basketball 2014:

Croatia evades mighty Pilipinas scare, 81-78 OT

August 31, 2014 – Sevilla

Croatia evades mighty Pilipinas scare, 81-78 OT
photo courtesy of FIBA

FIBA World Cup 2014: Team Gilas Pilipinas failed to overcome the Croatian juggernaut in the FIBA World Cup 2014 opener with a stunning 78-81 overtime upset. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Croats with 26 markers, while Andray Blatche and Jeffrei “Negros Sniper” Chan dropped 28 and 17 points apiece.

Notes:

➤ In what appeared to be a highly controversial ballgame between the Asian and European powerhouses, Croatia got the better calls in the crucial moments of the contest.

➤ Jayson “The Blur” Castro was called for a highly questionable flop in the third canto, and who unfortunately also got a bum no-call in the final seconds of the overtime while taking a critical clutch trey.

➤ In the fourth canto, Jeffrei Chan missed a contested trey in the dying seconds leading to a 71-All overtime. It was anybody’s ballgame as the spitfire RP five was trailing 78-79 until the final 5.6 seconds of extra time.

➤ All throughout, the Filipinos stunned a clueless Croatia as the Philippines continually dropped 10 rainbow bombs in the last three quarters.

➤ “We just kept on fighting. We knew Croatia was tough but the players fought all the way,” Coach Chot Reyes said of the Pinoy’s gallant stand.

➤ Filipino: Kinulang ang tikas ng Gilas Pilipinas upang pataubin ng tuluyan ang nahintatakutang higante na koponan ng Crotia sa FIBA World Cup 2014. Umabot ang pukpukan na labanan sa overtime sa iskor na 81-78. Pinangunahan ang Crotia ni Bojan Bogdanovic na nagtala ng 26 puntos, samantalang sina Andray Blatche at Jeffrei “Negros Sniper” Chan naman ay bumuslo ng 28 at 17 puntos bawat isa.
Game Scores:
Quarters: 1Q:23-9 CRO, 2Q:37-31 CRO, 3Q:57-49 CRO, 4Q:71-71 OT:81-78 CRO.

GILAS PILIPINAS: 78

Blatche 28, Chan 17, Pingris 10, Castro 6, De Ocampo 5, Alapag 4, Tenorio 2, Norwood 2, Lee 2, Fajardo 2, Aguilar 0.

CROATIA: 81

Bogdanovic 26, Simon 12, Saric 10, Tomic 8, Ukic 5, Lafayette 4, Rudez 4, Zoric 4, Babic 3.

Posted on August 31, 2014 - Sevilla, Spain

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

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