➤ Yang Heejong led the SoKors campaign with 14-points. Oh Sekeun and Kim Minsoo logged in 11 points apiece. Cyrus Baguio, who’s razzle-dazzle plays wowed the crowd, was RP Team’s bright spot with a game-high 16 points. Supposed to be a game of redemption, all things fail to fall into the right place for RP Team at the end of the elimination phase of FIBA Asia.

➤ RP five faces Chinese Taipei next in the second round. Vital problems of the RP squad resurfaced with horrifying effect to their campaign. Although the Nationals held their own in the defensive side, limiting Korea to only 18 percent 3-point total output, blunder after blunder in key plays sealed their chance of chipping the lead off the East Asian champions.

➤ The rebound department was close with Korea only leading with 48 against the 44 of the Pinoys. However, Team Pilipinas recurring problems returned with only 38 percent two-point field goal in 19 of 50 shooting, 15 percent at the rainbow country in 4 out of 27 treys, and the dismal 6 of 11 total free throws.

➤ The battle couldn’t have gotten any closer if not for the momentum-stopper sniping of Mick Pennisi from beyond the arc. Cyrus Baguio also contributed heavily with his crucial one-on-one markers. The game was very close in the 2nd quarter until Korea’s Kim Min Soo waxed hot from the perimeter, to push Korea to their biggest lead of 35-22 with a 12-2 run.