Asian Qualifiers 2018:

Gilas survives trey barrage, decks Qatar NT, 92-81

September 17, 2018 – Araneta Coliseum

Asian Qualifiers 2018 News: Gilas Pilipinas survived a first-half scare as it defeated a determined Qatar NT in the FIBA World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers this Monday evening at the Araneta Coliseum. Japeth Aguilar led the Gilas fightback with his 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Alex Cabagnot made-up for his lackluster performance in his game against Iran, and ended-up with 16 markers as well.

Notes:

Stanley Pringle also contributed 13 points for Gilas Pilipinas, while “Big” Beau Belga chipped-in 11 points.

➤ Pilipinas outrebounded Qatar as they hauled 54 caroms to 40, while also maximizing bench scoring at 66 to 8.

➤ Qatar NT led by as much 17 points in the first half, 20-37, as they shot an unbelievable 7 of 13 (54%) three-point shooting barrage. The Filipinos turned the tide in the third quarter as they wrestled the lead 59-58, courtesy of a 20-6 run, as they made crucial defensive stops to stifle the pesky Qataris.

➤The Filipinos played minus their home-crowd as they are serving their first game of two suspensions to play home games without an audience. FIBA served the penalty due to the infamous Australia-Philippines brawl last July in Bulacan’s Philippine Arena.

➤ The losing Qataris were led by big man Mohd Yousuf Mohammed who scored 26 points and 7 rebounds, while Tanguy Ngombo and Nasser Al-Reyes both finished with 17 buckets.

Aguilar and Matthew Wright replaced Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan for the Qatar joust, while Pringle was chosen as the naturalized player instead of Christian Stanhardinger for this game.

Greg Slaughter did not suit-up due to his ankle injury.

➤ The Philippine basketball team will next face Kazakhstan NT on November 30 to continue their Asian Qualifiers joruney.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 15-26, 39-52, 67-64, 92-81.

gilas pilipinas: 92

Aguilar 16, Cabagnot 16, Pringle 13, Belga 11, Lee 8, Wright 6, Sangalang 5, Lassiter 5, Erram 4, Taulava 3, Thompson 3, Norwood 2.

qatar nt: 81

Mohammed Mohd 26, Ngombo 17, Al-Rayes 17, Khalid 10, Mohammed Hassan 4, Gueye 3, Abdelbaset 3, Abdelhaleem 1, Lashin 0, Avdic 0.

Posted on September 18, 2018 - Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

Asian Qualifiers:

Gilas Pilipinas stumbles to Iran NT

September 13, 2018 – Tehran

Philippine Basketball News 2018: Gilas Pilipinas failed to conquer the Iran NT which played almost the entire game without Hamed Haddadi this Thursday in the FIBA World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers in Tehran. Gilas threw away the impeccable game of Christian Stanhardinger who dropped 30 points and 12 rebounds. He was nearly unstoppable inside the paint against Iran’s other bigs.

Notes:

➤ Veteran gunner Samad Nikkah Bahrami hit clutch baskets and finished with 21 markers and 8 boards to lead Iran with an 81-73 win, while quick guard Sajjad Mashayekhi contributed 19 buckets and 4 dimes.

Haddadi did not play the whole three quarters, except in the fourth with 56 seconds left, when they were away big and assured of a victory. It was reported that Haddadi was actually nursing a groin injury.

➤ The Filipinos fought tooth and nail against the Iranians up until the final three minutes when Iran registered an 11 point lead, 77-66, courtesy of Bahrami dagger shots.

➤ Gilas failed to capitalize on the absence of Haddadi on the floor as they shot a dismal 5 of 28 (17.9%) clip from the rainbow country. Both Alex Cabagnot and Marcio Lassiter shot a woeful 1 of 7 threes from the arc, while Paul Lee Dalistan shot blanks on 0 of 2 treys.

➤ The game also got physical on two instances as Beau Belga was hit in the kisser with an elbow by Bahrami, and later a bloodied Lassiter was clipped in the face by Arsalan Kazemi.

➤ The Philippine basketball team is in a must-win situation against Qatar NT this Monday, September 17 at the Araneta Coliseum.

➤ Gilas is now third (4-3) in their FIBA grouping followed by Japan and Kazakhstan who are at 4th with a 3-4 slate. Only the top three from Group F will go ahead to play in the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2019 in China.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 21-22, 40-38, 63-59, 81-73.

iran: 81

Bahrami 21, Mashayekhi 19, Kazemi 11, Arghavan 8, Yakhchali 7, Jamshidi 6, Mirza 5, Hassanzadeh 4, Davoudichegani 0, Haddadi 0, Mozafarivanani 0.

GILAS PILIPINAS: 73

Standhardinger 30, Cabagnot 9, Belga 7, Lee 6, Thompson 5, Almazan 5, Lassiter 4, Taulava 3, Norwood 2, Sangalang 2, Maliksi 0, Erram 0.

Posted on September 14, 2018 - Tehran

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

Philippine Basketball:

Gilas Pilipinas chooses Stanhardinger over injured Slaughter

September 12, 2018 – Manila Time

Philippine Basketball News 2018: Gilas Pilipinas will battle Iran NT in the fourth window of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers tomorrow Thursday (September 13) sans injured Greg Slaughter and Stanley Pringle. Coach Yeng Guiao chose to field-in Christian Stanhardinger as the naturalized player to have a better match-up against Iran led by behemoth Hamed Haddadi at center position.

Notes:

Slaughter had the greenlight of FIBA to play as local, but his ankle injury sustained from his last game with Barangay Ginebra in the PBA, sidelined him from practicing with the Gilas’ crew. It was questionable if he could play at 100% against Haddadi given his injury.

Pringle would have also been a shoo-in in the line-up but being restricted as a naturalized player meant that it was either him or Stanhardinger who will be chosen for the post.

➤ Also cut from the line-up were Japeth Aguilar and Matthew Wright, who are both serving a one-game FIBA suspension.

➤ The final line-up includes Stanhardinger, Poy Erram, Asi Taulava, Beau Belga, Raymond Almazan, Ian Sangalang, Allein Maliksi, Alex Cabagnot, Scottie Thompson, Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood and Marcio Lassiter.

➤ SBP president Al Panlilio announced the final roster this Wednesday morning.

➤ After the game against Iran, Gilas will then face Qatar on September 17 in a closed-door matchup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Posted September 12, 2018 - Manila Time

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

Asian Games 2018:

ROS Pilipinas flattens Syria, 109-55

August 31, 2018 – GBK Hall

Asian Games News 2018: ROS Pilipinas flattened Syria, 109-55 and copped 5th place in the 2018 Asian Games basketball this Friday at the GBK Hall in Jakarta. Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jordan Clarkson stamped his class by chalking-up 29 points, 6 dimes and 4 boards, while Fil-German Christian Standhardinger chimed-in 27 buckets.

Notes:

➤ The Philippines led by as much as 26 points at the half, 60-34.

James Yap suited-up once more and ended-up with 9 markers. Yap did not play in the battle against Japan and South Korea due to an apparent ankle injury.

Clarkson is set to go back to the NBA to begin training for the upcoming season with the post-Lebron era Cavaliers.

ROS Pilipinas failed to get to the medal rounds after the heart-breaking loss to nemesis South Korea in the Asiad quarterfinals.

➤ The fifth place finish of the Philippine basketball team is an upgrade from 2014 (Incheon) when they placed 7th. RP Five fared better at 4th place in 2002 (Busan) and last bagged a bronze medal courtesy of the PBA Centennial team in 1998 (Bangkok).

Game Scores:
Quarters: 38-16, 60-34, 91-44, 109-55.

ros pilipinas: 109

Clarkson 29, Standhardinger 27, Taulava 11, Pringle 10, Yap 9, Belga 6, Erram 5, Tiu 5, Ahanmisi 3, Norwood 2, Lee Dalistan 2, Almazan 0.

syria nt: 55

Aljabi 23, Bakar 9, Saddir 6, Al Ghamian 6, Alhamwi 6, Kasaballi 2, Al Osh 2, Idelbi 0, Khouri 0.

Posted on September 1, 2018 - GBK Hall Jakarta

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

PBA News:

San Miguel Beermen wallops NLEX Road Warriors, 125-114

June 24, 2018 – Calasiao Sports

San Miguel routed NLEX, 125-114, in the ongoing PBA Commissioner’s Cup 2018 this Saturday at the Calasiao Sports Complex in Pangasinan. Junemar Fajardo led the spirited Beermen with 30 points and 13 rebounds, while power import Renaldo Balkman contributed 25 markers and 16 boards. Long range sniper Marcio Lassiter also chipped-in 26 buckets on 6 of 9 treys. Arnett Moultrie, meanwhile, backstopped the losing Road Warriors with monstrous 43 points and 16 caroms.

Notes:

The Road Warriors were missing the services of Kevin Alas and Larry Fonacier due to injury, while Kiefer Ravena is still under FIBA suspension.

The game was a resurgence of sorts for veteran Asi Taulava who added the rainbow bomb to his arsenal, shooting five total three points. He finished with 18 points in the game for the Road Warriors.

The win seals a sure playoff berth for the Beermen as Fajardo departs for Gilas tip-off against Taiwan on June 29th.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 31-34, 65-55, 97-85, 125-114.

SAN MIGUEL: 125

Fajardo 30, Lassiter 26, Balkman 25, Cabagnot 17, Ross 12, Heruela 4, Santos 4, Rosser 3, Mamaril 2, Nabong 2, Pessumal 0.

nlex: 114

Moultrie 43, Taulava 18, Tiongson 8, Baguio 7, Ighalo 6, Quinahan 6, Tallo 6, Uyloan 5, Rios 5, Soyud 5, Buenafe 3, Gotladera 2, Marcelo 0.

Posted June 24, 2018 - Calasiao Pangasinan

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

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