Tuesday, July 10, 2007 RP beats Qatar, 88-80, for fifth win
CHINESE Taipei - San Miguel-Team Pilipinas registered its third straight win by pounding Qatar, 88-80, to brighten up prospects of a third place finish or even a second place wind-up in the 29th Willam Jones Cup basketball tournament.
However, national coach Vincent “Chot” Reyes was dissatisfied and even got himself thrown out to stress a point.
The Filipinos led by as many as 21 points, 47-26 before Abdul Rahman hit a triple closing out the first half.
However, the Filipinos started celebrating at the interval and lost focus momentarily, allowing Qatar to get back into the game and that infuriated Reyes who was whistled for two technical fouls and banished with 30 seconds to go in the third period with the Nationals still up, 62-49.
“It was more of wanting to wake up my players. I saw during the warm up at the break that they lost their focus,”said Reyes.
To allow Qatar to outscore us 14-2 at the start of the third is unforgivable.
“If there’s a lesson learned here it is that we can’t allow ourselves to be lulled by the opposing team. We have to play the same level from start to finish,” said Reyes
Qatar along with Kazakhstan, which the Philippines plays today at the close of the Jones Cup tournament, is bracketed along with India and Indonesia in Group C of the FIBA-Asia Men’s championship set in Tokushima, Japan late this month.
Quarterfinals
“If we make the quarterfinals, we’ll meet either Qatar or Kazakhstan. So the lessons learned here will be important in Japan,” said Reyes.”If our game against Jordan was a good loss for us, this game against Qatar is a bad win.”
Mark Caguioa, who had skipped practice because of fever, still led the Nationals with 14 points, while Dondon Hontiveros and Kelly Wiliams had 13 apiece.
Championship
Jordan clinched the championship of the tournament by nipping Iran, 72-71 earlier in the day. Despite the victory, Jordan coach Mario Palma, a Brazilian, said his team may be the best in the Jones Cup but admitted that it will be a different story in Tokushima.
Jordan, which raised its record to 7-1, rounds out its assignment when it tackles tailender Japan at 11 am today. Even if Japan, which is lodged in tenth place with a 1-7 record after absorbing an 82-74 setback inflicted by Lebanon, miraculously pull the rug from under Jordan, that wouldn’t matter.
In the event Jordan figures in a tie with defending champion Athletes in Action of the United States, the Jordanians will still clinch the crown by virtue of having beaten the Americans, 69-66 last Thursday.
The only blot on the record of Jordan was caused by Korea which posted a 71-65 victory last Tuesday
Favorite
“This win by Jordan installs them as a favorite in Group A in the FIBA-Asia Men’s championship in Tokushima, Japan. Bale ang magiging ranking ay China, Jordan, the Philippines and Iran,” said Reyes referring to the fact that the Filipinos lost to the Jordanians, 74-70 last Friday.
“I think at this point, Jordan is playing at its highest level. They are very efficient, very tall,very smart, they move well, they know what to do,”added Reyes.
Against Jordan, Reyes did not pour the full strengthof the National Team as he benched the Ren-ren Ritualo, Ranidel de Ocampo and Niño Canaleta. Likewise, Danny Seigle and Tony dela Cruz were not around and arrived only a day later in Taipei to join the team in practice.
“I am confident that we will beat Jordan in Japan. I know we can beat them,” said Reyes. “If there is something that we have learned in the Jones Cup, something we can bring back home and take with us to Japan, it is the notion that we can beat Jordan and Iran in our group.”
The Philippines is bracketed in Group A long with Jordan, Iran and powerhouse China in the Fiba-Asia joust. Under the tournament format, the top two teams after a single round affair advance into the quarterfinals. (PBA Media Bureau)
