This was the last time the Philippines played against a European team I think. How is Latvia as a basketball country??
NATIONALS PUSH LATVIA TO THE HILT
Friday, 04 August 2006
DOHA, Qatar – The board had the team at the shorter end of the scores. Still, all players and coaches moved out of the Al-Gharafa Sports Club Hall with heads up high and smiling from ear to ear.
Latvia fashioned out a 73-65 victory over SMC-Pilipinas, but only after being pushed to the hilt by the smaller Filipinos in the Al-Emadi International Basketball Championship here Thursday.
The win gave Latvia an unblemished 3-0 card and top seeding in the semifinals of this four-nation tourney. SMC-Pilipinas, for its part, absorbed its second setback in as many assignments.
National coach Chot Reyes, however, couldn’t be happier with the way his wards battled the taller and heftier Latvians on both ends of the floor.
“I’m very, very happy and very proud of the guys. They did a great, great job out there,” Reyes said after the game. “We were getting our shots and not turning the ball over and that’s what we wanted.”
Like in their opening game against Qatar, the Filipinos, also backed by Accel, got off to a good start. Arwind Santos and Kerby Raymundo hit their stride early and SMC-Pilipinas took the first quarter, 18-14.
Latvia got its rhythm late in the second quarter, unloading an 8-0 bomb in the last minute that gave the league leaders a 42-33 lead at the half.
Kristaps Valters presided over another big tear in the third to make it 54-37. But just as Latvia appeared headed for a blowout, SMC-Pilipinas stepped on the gas. Larry Fonacier, Willie Miller and Joseph Yeo teamed up in a searing rally that had the Nationals breathing down the Latvians’ necks, 56-60, early in the final period.
SMC-Pilipinas engaged Latvia toe-to-toe but clutch baskets by big man Uvis Helmanis kept the Filipinos at bay in the closing minutes.
“We’re definitely achieving our goals,” Reyes said. “For both the players and coaches, this is the kind of teams we really want to play. And for the players, they can only get better playing teams like Latvia.
“Also, we’re actually using this tournament as some sort of a tryout to see kung sino talaga ang puwede just in case the FIBA suspension is lifted. All of the people we’ve talked to here are saying it’s already lifted, so we might as well be ready for that eventuality.”
After the disappointing loss to Qatar, the gallant stand of the Filipinos against Latvia was certainly a boost.
“We were a lot better today than we were last night against Qatar. The challenge is how we can still be better in our next game,” said Reyes.
SMC-Pilipinas takes on African champion Angola Friday to close its elimination round schedule.
The scores:
Latvia 73 – S. Valters, 15, Helmanis 12, Janicenoks 11, K. Valters 9, Ciprus 7, Jahovics 5, Vecelous 4, Timermanis 4, Buskevics 3, Blums 3.
SMC-Pil 65 – Raymundo 12, Miller 11, Fonacier 8, Santos 7, Yeo 7, Pennisi 7, Reavis 5, Tenorio 3, Canaleta 3, Pena 2, Mamaril 0, Miranda 0.
Quarters: 14-18, 42-33, 59-54, 73-65.
bsgermany said:
It will not only take adjustments, it will take miracles to successfully match worldclassteams. There is a long long way from the top of Asia to the top of the world like Argentina, USA, Spain, Italy, Greece, Serbia, Germany etc. etc.
i'm sure our NT team(Div 1) still needs to make some adjustments to match other world class teams. but, surely, the NT team of Jordan will have a fat chance of beating us on any given day. unless, of course, they field in two or four imports.
