Youthful Gilas overpower Thailand to go 2-0 in FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers

Gilas Pilipinas overcame a sluggish start and ended a nine-month wait to return to play with a comprehensive 93-61 rout over Thailand to notch their second win in as many games at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in the bubble in Manama, Bahrain Friday afternoon (evening Manila time).

With South Korea not in the second window owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the youthful side of coach Joseph Uichico brushed aside their more experienced opponents after a sluggish start, thanks to a crippling second quarter breakaway that blew the game wide open that gave them the top spot in Group A, leading by as much as 36 points in the process. 

Leading all scorers, Dwight Ramos went perfect on the floor on his Gilas debut by firing in 20 points on seven field goals. The incoming Ateneo transferee added 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals to notch a game-high efficiency rating of 32.

Juan Gomez De Liano and Justine Baltazar pitched in with 12 apiece, with the latter making his national team debut as the starting center.

Everyone fielded by Uichico scored at least a field goal, with Dave Ildefonso being the last to score with his lay-up for the final count.

Montien Wongsawantham had 17 for Thailand as they fell to 0-2 in Group A.

Gilas struggled against the Thais in the opening stages of the game, with Nakorn Jaisanuk scoring all of his dozen markers there from beyond the arc before the Filipinos eked out a two-point lead at the end of the first.

The dogfight continued in the second frame, where Chanatip Jakwaran’s reverse lay-up to level the game at 26 apiece proved to be their final hurrah as Gilas unleashed a 27-3 bomb in the last 7:05 of the first half to turn a close contest into a rout, including sixteen consecutive markers to close out the quarter while holding their victims to just 10 points there.

The Philippines will have a two-day break before facing Thailand for the second time on November 30.

The scores:

Philippines 93 – Ramos 20, Juan Gomez De Liano 12, Baltazar 12, Suerte 9, Javi Gomez De Liano 9, Mike Nieto 8, Go 6, Matt Nieto 4, Navarro 4, Carino 4, Paras 3, Ildefonso 2

Thailand 61 – Wongsawangtham 17, Jaisanuk 12, Suttisin 10, Langsui 6, Chungyampin 5, Jakwaran 5, Muangboon 4, Klaewnarong 2, Ghogar 0, Lakhan 0

Quarter scores: 21-19, 53-29, 75-43, 93-61
PHOTOS: FIBA