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| Kai Sotto leading Batang Gilas to its best finish at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Rosario, Argentina, Monday. He finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal and 4 blocks. [FIBA photo] |
by Mark Mañez
Rosario, Argentina - Batang Gilas Pilipinas saved their best for last, as they avenged their previous losses against Asia Pacific newcomers New Zealand with an emphatic 73-51 hammering at the 2018 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup here.
Kai Zachary Sotto provided the boost for Batang Gilas, notching 22 markers on top of his 10 rebounds, 1 steal and 4 blocks. Their campaign also gave their second straight win after surviving Egypt, 70-69 the other day.
Both teams braced themselves in a tight defensive stale before coach Michael Oliver’s boys started heating things up in the next three periods.
Terrence Fortea, Gerry Abadiano, Shaun Chiu and RC Calimag also contributed big time for the Philippines, combining for 36 points and secured 13th place in the 16-team gathering of the world’s best U17 squads.
New Zealand, meanwhile, had Mitchell Dance and Shalom Broughton combining for 22 markers in a losing cause.
In the final four medal games, Puerto Rico made sure they will come home with a medal on their necks as they snagged out Canada 90-77. Jermaine Perez topscored for the Los Niños Guererros with a double-double 24 point - 11 rebound effort. He also added 4 assists and 2 swipes as well. Addison Patterson, mean while, lead Team Canada with 31 points, 7 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals for the losing effort.
Team United States continued their merciless beating of their opponents as they extended their U17 domination with a masterful 95-52 beatdown on France and secured their fifth FIBA U17 World Cup since 2010.
Isaiah Stewart filled in every stat department with a classic all-around performance for the Americans. He finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 block for their 37th consecutive FIBA U17 victory. Filipino-American Jalen Green contributed 11 points and 2 rebounds and bagging MVP honors.
France meanwhile, despite settling for silver, had Killian Hayes pacing them with 10 markers, 2 boards, 2 dimes, 3 swipes and 2 swats.
Leading by 11 points after halftime, 35-24, Batang Gilas showed no mercy in the next 20 minutes with timed shots on all distances, even leading by 24 points at one point.
Despite lagging behind in the rebounding department (43 total, 9 on the offensive as against NZL’s 60, 26 offensive), Batang Gilas forced their adversaries to 18 turnovers and scoring 13. They also doubled their total outputs in steals and assists (12 to 6) and (19 to 9) and denied 5 attempes, as compared to a single denial made by the Junior Tall Blacks.
Batang Gilas also showed no mercy inside the paint, knocking in 44 as against to NZL’s 24 and putting importance in their bench with 28 as against the 20 contributed by the NZL bench.
In other classification matches, China pinched out Egypt for 15th, 68-63; hosts Argentina surviving another scare from Mali, 70-69 for 11th; Dominican Republic repulsing a strong Serbian comeback, 82-77 in their 9th-10 classification showdown; Croatia wearing down a stoic Montenegro 5, 74-66; and Turkey drawing their best for last with an 82-77 beatdown on Australia.
Box Scores:
13-14th place:
BATANG GILAS PILIPINAS [73] - Sotto 22, Fortea 12, Chiu 8, Abadiano 8, Calimag 8, Guadana 7, Cortez 4, Padrigao 4, Aascual 0, Andrada 0, Tamayo 0, Lazaro 0.
NEW ZEALAND [51] - Dance 12, Broughton 10, Cowie 6, Williams - Dunn 6, Valgafa 5, Dixon 5, Rissetto 4, McKinlay 3, Jenkins 0, Lepou 0, Payne 0, Stodard 0.
Quarter Scores:
16-12, 35-24, 54-36, 73-51
15-16th Place:
P. R. CHINA [68] - Sun HQ 30, Salmatti 15, Lu PY 12, Qu HL 6, Zhao SH 4, Yang 1.
EGYPT [63] - Khalifa 20, Elmadawy 15, Hassan 12, Ibrahim 10, Nourledin 2, Morsy 2, Mahmoud 2.
Quarter Scores:
15-18, 26-29, 43-41, 68-63
11-12th Place:
ARGENTINA [70] - Cavallin 18, Paz 17, Milovich 16, Chapero 10, Copes 3, Diaz 3, Bertona 2, Scacchi 1.
MALI [69] - Kanoute 24, Ballo 17, Keita 8, Sidibe 8, Traore 6, Dembele 4, Coulibaly 2.
Quarter Scores:
26-12, 36-27, 53-45, 70-69
9-10th Place
DOMINCAN REPUBLIC [82] - Garcia 24, Viera 15, Berroa 14, Reyes 8, Rivera 8, Abreu 7, Robles 3, Crisostomo 2, Almanzar 1.
SERBIA [77] - Markovic 23, Pokusevski 16, Music 8, Tanaskovic 8, Karapandzic 6, Pazin 6, Lankovic 6, Popovic 4.
Quarter Scores:
20-18, 38-39, 66-62, 82-77.
7-8th Place:
CROATIA [74] - Prkacin 21, Bosnjak 17, Perasovic 11, Gulin 9, Rudan 7, Gizdavcic 6, Parlov 3.
MONTENEGRO [66] - Tomasevic 22, Kijacic 17, Vlahovic 11, Boskovic 6, Karamanaga 4, Vujisic 4, Marinovic 2.
Quarter Scores:
15-16, 31-36, 61-49, 74-66
5-6th Place:
TURKEY [81] - Kurtuldum 20, Haltali 17, Kucuk 14, Sengun 13, Ilyasoglu 9, Gurener 5, Erdek 2, Sezgun 1.
AUSTRALIA [77] - Jackson 18, Wigness 18, Lo Buluk 13, Clarke 12, Travers 9, Capetola 3, Bannan 2, Williamson 2.
Quarter Scores:
17-18, 35-38, 53-53, 81-77
Bronze Medal Game
PUERTO RICO [90] - Perez 24, San Antonio 23, Rodriguez 12, Rolon 11, Wheeler 7, Pellot 7, Sosa 4, Martinez 2.
CANADA [77] - Patterson 31, McNeilly 17, Krikke 14, Sakota 8, Rathan-Mayes 3, Minott 2, Barthelemy 1, Hemmings 1.
Quarter Scores:
20-20, 40-37, 57-49, 90-77
Gold Medal Game
UNITED STATES [95] - Stewart II 15, Harmonn 14, Weems 12, Green 11, Suggs 9, Carey Jr. 9, Mobley 8, Moore Jr. 8, Barnes Jr. 3, Okoro 2, Roach 2, Hampton Jr. 2.
FRANCE [52] - Hayes 10, Carene 9, Maledon 8, Cazalon 6, Crusol 5, Miyem 4, Ebonkoli 4, Thirouard-Samson 3, Eyango-Dingo 2, Gauzin 1.
Quarter Scores:
23-14, 45-25, 77-39, 95-52
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