Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 13) – Gilas Pilipinas failed to match the scoring intensity of Lebanon to suffer a 15-point lead defeat, 80-95, in their opening game in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup on Wednesday at Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Gilas had a hot start in the opening period, 27-22, with scorer SJ Belangel going perfect in all his three field goals to finish the quarter with nine points.
Lebanon unleashed their all-around game in the second quarter as they started converting their shots that held off Gilas to just 12 points for a 46-39 halftime lead.
The Lebanese cagers continued to wax hot in the third canto with 33 points as their lead reached double digits against the young Gilas squad. The Jad El Hajj-mentored national team led 79-58 after 30 minutes of action.
The Jad El Hajj-mentored national team led 79-58 after 30 minutes of action.
In the final period, Lebanon tallied its biggest lead of the game at 22 points, 82-60, after three free-throws made by Yousef Khayat in the 8:18 mark off a foul by Kevin Quiambao.
But Gilas mounted a 14-1 scoring run in the next five minutes to lower their deficit to nine points, 74-83, capped by an and-one play by Belangel.
The Lebanese players responded as top scorers Hayk Gyokchyan and Wael Arakji made their baskets and drew fouls from their Filipino opponents to notch their crucial opening game victory.
“We made a great run to get within single digits midway to the fourth quarter. But the buffer that they got in the third quarter, when they were all hitting those three-point shots, was just too much for us to overcome,” Gilas head coach Chot Reyes said in the post-game press conference.
Arakji led all scorers in the contest with 20 points while Gyokchyan added 19 markers and eight rebounds.
Lebanon’s naturalized player Jonathan Arledge also finished with 19 points and Sergio El Darwich contributed 10 markers to cap their dominant performance.
Belangel was Gilas’ top scorer with 17 points while returning national team veteran Rayray Parks and young big man Carl Tamayo both chipped in 15 markers in their loss.
Gilas needs to score a win against India on Friday to at least assure them of a berth in the playoff round.
The Scores:
LEBANON 95 – Arakji 20, Gyokchyan 19, Arledge 19, El Darwich 10, Khayat 7, Chamoun 6, Ezzedine 5, Mansour 3, Mezher 0, Zeinoun 0, Haidar 0.
GILAS 80 – Belangel 17, Parks 15, Tamayo 15, Ravena T. 10, Chiu 6, Ravena K. 5, Abando 4, Erram 4, Navarro 4, Quiambao 0, Abarrientos 0, Lopez 0.
Quarterscores: 22-27, 46-39, 79-58, 95-80.
