TEAM Energen Pilipinas Under-16 survived a big scare from Iraq, booking an 82-69 victory to clinch a semifinal berth in the Fiba-Asia U-16 Championship on Wednesday night at the Khanh Hoa Sports Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Tomas Ramos and Jay Javelosa stepped up against the West Asian champion Iraqis, who nearly overhauled the Filipinos’ huge 24-point lead, 37-13, with a second-half run that cut the deficit to just 64-60.
Javelosa drilled seven of his 12 points in the crucial final eight minutes to help bail the Filipinos out of trouble. Ramos topscored with 15 markers.
The duo also anchored the solid interior defense of the nationals who are unbeaten in six games.
Javelosa, a six-foot-five standout from Reedley International School, hauled down 16 rebounds and blocked three shots.
Ramos, an Ateneo Blue Eaglet, also had nine boards, while guards Henry Asilum, Kyles Lao, Hubert Cani and Rev Diputado sparkled in offense and combined for 37 points.
The Philippines faced South Korea, the squad that has been a thorn to the Philippine team in several past international campaigns, in a semifinal encounter on Thursday evening. Defending champion China battled Japan for the other championship berth.
“I was asked if there was a time that I panicked because of the rally. Actually, I was worried the whole game. I knew Iraq has the capability to bounce back,” said Energen coach Olsen Racela.
“They [Iraqis] started hitting their outside shots and we relaxed on defense. But we reminded them after the game that you can’t do that against Korea.”
Only the top two teams in the tournament will advance to the 2012 Fiba U-17 World Championship from July 17 to 26 in Lithuania.
“We’re shooting for history, we want to get the monkey off our backs,” said Renauld “Sonny” Barrios, executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) arrived on Monday night to support the squad.
“We’ll play in the World Championship if we win. It’s a testament that the SBP programs under MVP (SBP President Manny V. Pangilinan)—with the success of Smart Gilas and now the under-16 young men—are succeeding, bearing fruit and making our country proud.”
Barrios also credited the unwavering support for the youth squad of Jun Sy, president of TAO Corp., and team manager Joel Lopa.
The Energen team already matched the feat of an under-16 team that placed fourth in 2009 edition in Johor Bahru.
“Our goal was to make it to the semis,” said Racela. “Now that we made it, I told the boys we’re not yet done.”
Philippines 82—Ramos 15, Javelosa 12, Asilum 10, Lao 10, Cani 9, Alejandro 8, Diputado 8, Heading 6, Caracut 2, Rivero 2, Go 0.
Iraq 69--Razzaq 20, Hamzah 19, Sabri 12, Ismael 8, Mahdi 4, Abdulqaer 2, Abdullah 2, Ali 2, Saeed 0, Ahmed 0, Mohammed 0, Abdullhussein 0.
Quarterscores: 30-9, 51-34, 62-52, 82-69.
