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| A first leg win for Gilas 3x3 in the FIBA 3x3 U23 Nations League. Screen capture from YouTube |
MANILA--Gilas Pilipinas prevailed in the fifth leg of the FIBA 3x3 U23 Nations League after beating powerhouse Mongolia, 21-12, in the final on Saturday night in Handan, China.
Gilas 3x3, the heaviest underdog in the six-team field, first stunned top-seeded host country China, 20-17, before completing a sweep of Pool B by edging Japan, 19-18.
In the final, though, Gilas caught Mongolia, the top team in Pool A, in an off-night, racing to a 17-7 lead with 4:23 left in the 10-minute clash.
Mongolia somehow got its offense going late into the contest, but a Noy Remogat deuce ended the Mongolians' last-ditch effort as the game was called after a second shy of seven minutes.
Remogat led Gilas with seven points, Patrick Sleat added six, Art Roque contributed five, and JM Tulabut put up three.
Enkh-Amar Bayarbaatar and Azbayar Altangerel each made four points, Dulguun Gankhuyag had three, and Temuulen Chingis got one for Mongolia.
The final stop of the week-long tournament will happen on Sunday also in Handan.
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