(CNN Philippines) — The Philippine women’s basketball team opened their campaign in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games with a 62-57 loss to Thailand on Tuesday (June 9).
Thailand was led by Juthamas Jantakan’s 20 points. Penphan Yothanan added 17 points.
Afril Bernardino, the lone Filipina who finished in double figures, unloaded 19 points in the loss. She also had eight rebounds and five steals.
Philippines’ Analyn Almazan and Camille Sambile each scored eight points.
Both teams were tied at 15 after the first quarter but Thailand went crazy in the next frame to establish a nine-point lead, 32-23, at the half.
Late in the fourth quarter, Philippines was only down by three before they allowed Jantakan to score back-to-back layups to extend Thailand’s margin to seven.
Sofia Roman scored on a layup to trim the deficit to five, 2:35 left, but Thailand scored three straight points — a baseline jumper from Pattrawadee Janthabut and a freethrow from Supranee Rudrodkij — to go ahead by eight, 58-50, 1:20 to go.
After Thailand knocked down a pair of free throws with 26.9 seconds left, Perlas Pilipinas came within five, 60-55, after Bernardino converted on a three-point play.
But Thailand had enough in their tank to register the win, making two more free throws for the final tally.
Perlas Pilipinas will face Vietnam on Wednesday (June 10) at 9AM.
