AS THE old basketball adage goes, defense wins championships.
It may not be a championship game but Gilas Pilipinas center Kai Sotto lived up to this adage with a game-winning defensive stop for the Philippines in a thrilling game against Jordan, 82-81, before the jampacked crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena in the country’s capital.
With Gilas clinging to a paper-thin one-point lead, Abdullah Olajuwon—son of National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Hakeem Olajuwon—drove inside directly against the defense of the 7-foot-3 Sotto.
Unfazed by the high-pressure moment, Sotto effortlessly swatted away Olajuwon’s shot attempt. The emphatic block sealed the victory, sending thousands of fans inside the Mall of Asia Arena into a frenzy, along with millions of Filipino basketball fans watching via online streaming and live television coverage.
Prior to that game-ending play, Kevin Quiambao drained a cold-blooded three-pointer with just 11.7 seconds remaining to break a 79-all tie and hand Gilas the crucial late lead.
The victory snapped Gilas’ four-game losing streak in the qualifiers, improving their record to 3-4 (win-loss).
Gilas currently competes in Group E, which is led by Australia (7-0), followed by New Zealand (5-2), Jordan (5-2), Iran (5-2), Gilas (3-4), and Syria (2-5). The top four teams at the conclusion of the qualifying window will earn spots in next year’s Fiba World Cup hosted in Qatar.
As of press time, Gilas plays Iran in its second game in the fourth window of the qualifier. / RSC
