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Mr.100%2
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SMC-RP NIPS SYRIA IN OVERTIME
Seigle, Alapag sparkle as Nationals jumpstart consolation pool campaign
TOKUSHIMA, Japan – Despite a bruised ego and shattered pride, San
Miguel-Team Pilipinas still managed to squeak past Syria in overtime,
107-100, to jumpstart its campaign in the consolation round of the 24th FIBA
Asia Men's Championship on a winning note Tuesday.
Jimmy Alapag put aside the emotional baggage of the Nationals' stinging loss
to Jordan less than 24 hours earlier in their sudden death game for a
quarterfinals berth here, leading the RP scoring for the third time in four
games with 32 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and 15-of-16 showing
from the foul line.
With help from Danny Seigle, Dondon Hontiveros and big man Asi Taulava,
Alapag orchestrated the Nationals' telling breakaway at the start of the
extra period that finally clinched the win which somehow eased the burden of
the team's failure to advance to the tournament qualifier of the 2008
Beijing Olympics for Asian countries.
Taulava, playing his way through a sprained ankle for the third straight
game, had another fine offensive game, finishing with 15 points and grabbing
17 rebounds, 11 on the defensive end, to cap a double-double while Seigle
played his best game so far with 15, including five straight to start the
overtime which anchored a crucial 10-0 blast for a 99-89 RP lead.
"These are the kind of games that are tough to play. I don't think we were
emotionally ready to play this game after the loss. I doubt if any of our
players had much sleep last night," admitted RP team coach Chot Reyes,
obviously still reeling from that 76-84 setback to Jordan but can now
managed to put up a smile from time to time.
"I told the players that when we signed up and committed to play for the
national team, we signed up to take in the whole experience, both pleasant
and the unpleasant. Obviously, this is the unpleasant part, but part of the
representation of our national team is to go through it all the way," he
added.
Mark Caguioa had 15 markers for SMC-RP, but was taken out with 2:28 left in
regulation and the Nationals trailing, 84-86, when he hyper-extended his
shoulder, joining Kelly Williams on the sideline. Williams had earlier
suffered a pull hamstring injury after playing for seven minutes as a
starter at the four-spot.
"We're just fortunate enough to find that energy to finish the game today,"
Reyes added.
"I know psychologically and physically your team is very tired. We tried to
take our chance, but we're not just lucky," said Samer Kayaly, the coach of
the same Syrian team the Nationals beat in the recent Manila Invitationals.
Trying to console the Nationals, the Syrian mentor was vocal enough to say
"that your team deserves to be in the Final 4."
Playing erratic in the first half, the Nationals trailed early on, but found
their rhythm in
the last two quarters and readily engaged the Syrians in a see-saw battle.
A driving lay up by Alapag regained the lead for the Nationals, 89-88, with
32 seconds left, only for Syria to tied the game at 89 on a split free throw
by Micheal Madanly off a Kerby Raymundo foul 14 seconds later.
The Philippines had one last shot at winning the game in regulation, but
Hontiveros missed on a set-up three-pointer to pave the way for the extra
period.
The scores:
SMC-Team Pilipinas 107 -- Alapag 32, Caguioa 16, Seigle 15, Taulava 15,
Hontiveros 11, Ritualo 6, Raymundo 5, Menk 5, Norwood 2, Williams 0,
Helterbrand 0.
Syria 100 – Madanly 33, Alsaman 27, Yakoub 16, Alkatib 12, Hasaballah 7,
Abdallah 5, Labes 0.
Quarterscores: 18-24; 38-35; 65-65; 89-89 (reg); 107-100.
Seigle, Alapag sparkle as Nationals jumpstart consolation pool campaign
TOKUSHIMA, Japan – Despite a bruised ego and shattered pride, San
Miguel-Team Pilipinas still managed to squeak past Syria in overtime,
107-100, to jumpstart its campaign in the consolation round of the 24th FIBA
Asia Men's Championship on a winning note Tuesday.
Jimmy Alapag put aside the emotional baggage of the Nationals' stinging loss
to Jordan less than 24 hours earlier in their sudden death game for a
quarterfinals berth here, leading the RP scoring for the third time in four
games with 32 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and 15-of-16 showing
from the foul line.
With help from Danny Seigle, Dondon Hontiveros and big man Asi Taulava,
Alapag orchestrated the Nationals' telling breakaway at the start of the
extra period that finally clinched the win which somehow eased the burden of
the team's failure to advance to the tournament qualifier of the 2008
Beijing Olympics for Asian countries.
Taulava, playing his way through a sprained ankle for the third straight
game, had another fine offensive game, finishing with 15 points and grabbing
17 rebounds, 11 on the defensive end, to cap a double-double while Seigle
played his best game so far with 15, including five straight to start the
overtime which anchored a crucial 10-0 blast for a 99-89 RP lead.
"These are the kind of games that are tough to play. I don't think we were
emotionally ready to play this game after the loss. I doubt if any of our
players had much sleep last night," admitted RP team coach Chot Reyes,
obviously still reeling from that 76-84 setback to Jordan but can now
managed to put up a smile from time to time.
"I told the players that when we signed up and committed to play for the
national team, we signed up to take in the whole experience, both pleasant
and the unpleasant. Obviously, this is the unpleasant part, but part of the
representation of our national team is to go through it all the way," he
added.
Mark Caguioa had 15 markers for SMC-RP, but was taken out with 2:28 left in
regulation and the Nationals trailing, 84-86, when he hyper-extended his
shoulder, joining Kelly Williams on the sideline. Williams had earlier
suffered a pull hamstring injury after playing for seven minutes as a
starter at the four-spot.
"We're just fortunate enough to find that energy to finish the game today,"
Reyes added.
"I know psychologically and physically your team is very tired. We tried to
take our chance, but we're not just lucky," said Samer Kayaly, the coach of
the same Syrian team the Nationals beat in the recent Manila Invitationals.
Trying to console the Nationals, the Syrian mentor was vocal enough to say
"that your team deserves to be in the Final 4."
Playing erratic in the first half, the Nationals trailed early on, but found
their rhythm in
the last two quarters and readily engaged the Syrians in a see-saw battle.
A driving lay up by Alapag regained the lead for the Nationals, 89-88, with
32 seconds left, only for Syria to tied the game at 89 on a split free throw
by Micheal Madanly off a Kerby Raymundo foul 14 seconds later.
The Philippines had one last shot at winning the game in regulation, but
Hontiveros missed on a set-up three-pointer to pave the way for the extra
period.
The scores:
SMC-Team Pilipinas 107 -- Alapag 32, Caguioa 16, Seigle 15, Taulava 15,
Hontiveros 11, Ritualo 6, Raymundo 5, Menk 5, Norwood 2, Williams 0,
Helterbrand 0.
Syria 100 – Madanly 33, Alsaman 27, Yakoub 16, Alkatib 12, Hasaballah 7,
Abdallah 5, Labes 0.
Quarterscores: 18-24; 38-35; 65-65; 89-89 (reg); 107-100.
and that we couldnt even beat japan , u guys almost lost to syria as well ! and abt lebanon not being better than philippines im not gonna comment on this 
. i just hope that team RP still has the hunger to beat this Chinese Team.
