|
 THE
final buzzer sounded and any celebration or ticker-tape
shower would be premature in the aftermath of Team
Pilipinas’s victory in the Smart Four-Nation Manila
Invitational.
Jimmy
Alapag caught fire early to score 23 points and Mark
Caguioa added 19, most of them in the payoff period, as
the Philippines defeated Lebanon, 87-81, to win the
championship in the final tuneup for the Nationals
before they go to the Fiba-Asia qualifiers later this
month in
Tokushima.
“Of
course, there’s a sense of satisfaction and achievement
but it’s not yet time to celebrate,” said RP coach Chot
Reyes. “We have to save the big celebration in August in
Japan.”
The
Japan qualifiers is less than two weeks away, and Reyes
said he expects his team to be 100-percent ready when
the Tokushima—tournament the last Olympic qualifier for
the continent—unfolds July 28.
“What
this tournament did was to validate the progress,” Reyes
added. “Hopefully were on the right track.”
The game
still hung in the balance with the score tied at 61 two
minutes into the final period. Two Caguioa assists to
Kerby Raymundo and Caguioa’s transition bucket put the
Filipinos in front, 67-61, 6:32 left.
Two free
throws by Caguioa, an Alapag three-pointer and a couple
of Caguioa teardrop shots kept the Lebanese at bay and
was enough to hold them until the final buzzer.
Lebanon’s
one-two punch in forward Fade el-Khatib and Joseph Vogel
combined for 59 points of the foreigners’ output in the
tournament supported by Nike, Gatorade, Victory Liner,
Casino Alchohol and Omega Painkiller.
“There
were a lot of lessons learned,” Reyes said. “We know how
to close the games now, when the opportunity presents
itself. This is just one step in the preparation. You
don’t just prepare to play, but you also prepare to win.
This is what the tournament serves.”
Reyes
said some of the issues about personnel—particularly the
final make of the lineup and status of injured
players—still have to be finalized. He revealed that the
Kuwait national team will be flying into the country for
the Nationals’ final tuneup.
“We want
to see Danny Seigle play and the games against Kuwait
will give us the chance to see that,” Reyes said.
Lebanon
went to towering Vogel early, and the
Philippines
was hurt by the big man’s outside game. Vogel hit two
three-pointers and the foreigners were up, 22-17, under
eight minutes in the second.
Alapag,
who had 16 in the second period, finished the half with
two clutch plays. His three-pointer a foot away from the
arc tied the game at 33, and a step-back triple as time
expired against Vogel’s outstretched arm put the
Filipinos ahead, 36-35, going into the locker.
Both
teams started slow in the third quarter. Mark Caguioa’s
three-pointer, his first after missing nine straight
shots, gave the Filipinos a 44-38 advantage under seven
minutes.
The
highlight of the quarter featured Williams and Asi
Taulava, who figured in a drive and draw. Williams fed
Taulava with a no-look pass which Taulava punctuated
with a one-handed power dunk to help the locals go up,
57-49, 1:44 left in the period.
The
Lebanese sued for time and regrouped. In less than a
minute, the foreigners were within 57-56. After Alapag’s
two free throws put the Philippines up by three, Vogel
made a three-pointer before the quarter ended and
Lebanon equalized at 59. |
