MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 06 October) – After a 61-year drought, the Philippine men’s basketball team Gilas Pilipinas eked out a 70-60 victory in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China against the highly favored Jordanian quintet bannered by its naturalized player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Gilas, employing a deliberate game and crowding the shaded lane during rebounds, never looked back after grabbing back the lead, 34-33, in the third quarter. Gilas outscored the Jordanians in that quarter, 20-10.
Justin Brownlee, the Philippines’ naturalized player, led the nationals with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Ange Kouame dished out 14 points and hauled down 11 caroms while Chris Newsome and Scottie Thomson made 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Hollis-Jefferson, an NBA player for six seasons who also played for TNT Tropang Giga in the PBA, looked spent in the fourth quarter, missing free throws and three-point attempts. He scored 24.
Jordan defeated Gilas in the group stage of the tournament by 25 points.
The last time the Philippines won the gold medal in men’s basketball was in the 1962 Asian Games.
The country last made it to the final in 1990 but lost to China. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno/MindaNews
