Dwight Ramos leads Gilas Pilipinas previous Taiwan Mustangs in a tune-up sport forward of the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Event for the Paris Video games. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas rolled previous Taiwan Mustangs on Monday night time, 74-64, kicking off its build-up for the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Event on a constructive observe.
Dwight Ramos had 19 factors to guide the Nationals who’re priming for the brief meet that may full the sector within the Summer time Olympic Video games that will likely be held in Paris, France.
Justin Brownlee, recent from plying his commerce in Indonesia, delivered 12 factors and 15 rebounds in a wire-to-wire victory normal earlier than over 5,000 spectators at PhilSports Enviornment in Pasig Metropolis.
READ: Gilas loses Scottie to outdated damage, will fly with solely 11 males to Latvia
“Properly , we weren’t involved about successful a basketball sport, we needed to play a sure fashion. And I feel we did a extremely good job,” Gilas coach Tim Cone mentioned shortly after the overcome a visiting crew led by former PBA gamers Alex Cabagnot and Rashawn McCarthy.
“We received plenty of work to do however we now have time. We received plenty of work to do forward of us … We’ll simply proceed to get higher and higher as we transfer ahead,” he went on.
Gilas will now set its sights on a pair of friendlies in Europe. The Filipinos fly to Turkey on Tuesday night time the place they may tackle the host nationwide staff then transfer to Poland earlier than plunging into motion within the OQT in Riga the place World No. 6 and host Latvia and No. 23 Georgia await.
Kai Sotto had 9 factors and 9 rebounds, June Mar Fajardo chipped in eight factors, whereas Carl Tamayo and skipper Japeth Aguilar mixed for 13 within the scoring effort.
READ: Gilas performs tuneup matches earlier than OQT
Gilas caught with simply 11 gamers as Roger Pogoy, a former nationwide staff gunner, joined the group as a spectator. He was with the staff in its brief closed-door camp at Encourage Sports activities Academy in Laguna a couple of days in the past.
Cone mentioned he will likely be sticking with that roster quantity with Fajardo lastly activated and Amos finishing the forged as a alternative.
Jamie Malonzo, AJ Edu and Scottie Thompson are all sidelined by damage.
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Oscar Lopez, who served the Cambodian nationwide staff in the course of the Southeast Asian Video games up to now, had 15 factors, Cabagnot tossed in 13, whereas McCarthy 12 for the Mustangs who had been coached by former Rain or Shine coach Chris Gavina.
