Ange Kouame and Gilas Pilipinas roll previous Bahrain to start their Asiad stint. (POOL PHOTO)
No matter worries nationwide coach Tim Cone had for Gilas Pilipinas of their opening sport within the nineteenth Asian Video games in China turned out to be baseless on Tuesday.
The Philippines performed with sustained brilliance and located little or no resistance in its 89-61 thrashing of Bahrain at Hangzhou Olympic Sports activities Heart Gymnasium for a rousing begin within the continental showcase.
Justin Brownlee had 20 factors, 10 rebounds and three steals — hardly exhibiting any in poor health results of the ankle process that stored within the freezer for a few month, whereas CJ Perez and Ange Kouame tossed in 15 factors every off the bench within the runaway victory over an enemy the Gilas mind belief initially thought was going to problem them.
The Nationals loved leads as huge as 34 factors permitting Cone to offer his late additions Perez, Kevin Alas, Arvin Tolentino, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter ample time to stand up to hurry.
“That was essential for us to get that additional time,” the seasoned mentor stated. “The 5 guys are nonetheless feeling their approach round, and once more, these are the fellows who we’re going to rely upon as they resolve how far we go.
”Lassiter, who added eight factors within the contest, was a alternative for Roger Pogoy who withdrew on account of well being points. Perez and the opposite three Philippine Basketball Affiliation standouts had been contingency measures for authentic call-ups Terrence Romeo, Mo Tautuaa, Calvin Abueva and Jason Perkins whose eligibilities had been flagged by the native organizing committee.
Calvin Oftana completed with 14 factors for Gilas, which was later joined on high of Group C by Jordan following a 97-63 overcome Thailand, the Philippines’ subsequent foe within the match.
Ladies get going
“We all know [them] fairly very well,” Cone, in a earlier interview, stated of the Thais. “We all know [Moses] Morgan, we all know [Tyler] Lamb, we all know [Fred] Lish. So we all know these guys.”
Gilas noticed Thailand from afar through the Southeast Asian Video games in Cambodia.
As the lads’s group takes purpose at a brand new foe, the ladies’s squad is hoping it may very well be simply as spectacular in its Asian Video games debut.
The Gilas squad bannered by Jack Danielle Animam, will battle a tall Kazakhstan aspect on Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. at Shaoxing Olympic Sports activities Centre Gymnasium, hardened by the various worldwide tournaments they’ve been by way of.
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“Top has at all times been our drawback, however I feel now we have benefits we are able to use towards them (the Kazakhs),” Animam instructed the Inquirer on the eve of the match. “I’m excited to play, particularly this being our first ever Asian Video games, however you recognize we’ve been enjoying in a lot greater degree of competitors. It might be solely our first look, however this sense [we have] is just not our first,” she went on, alluding to the various Fiba (Worldwide Basketball Federation) and up to date Jones Cup stints.