Jakarta —There was no way the Japanese, even at full strength, could have beaten that kind of a basketball show by the Philippines.
The Rain or Shine-bannered Philippine team vented all of its frustrations on an undermanned Japanese side as it pulled off an emphatic 113-80 victory to assure itself of at least a sixth-place finish in the 2018 Asian Games Basketball Competitions at the Gelora Bung Karno Basketball Hall here Tuesday night.
The 33-point triumph, which arrested the team’s two heartbreaking losses to China and Korea, improved on the Philippines’ previous seventh-place ranking in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
It also showcased what coach Yeng Guiao wanted all along from his team–for the outside shots to fall and to run whenever they can for the easy baskets.
But the Philippine Team ain’t done yet.
It needs to beat Syria, which crushed Indonesia, 76-66, last night, to clinch the no. 5 spot on Friday.
“We still have to play one game against Syria. We want to finish our campaign here (with a win), even if we don't have a medal,” said Guiao.
For the first time in these games, the nationals looked like they were finally having fun on the court.
They were led by NBA star Jordan Clarkson, who banged in 22 points and added a team-high nine assists, and Fil-German Christian Standhardinger, who frolicked inside with 27 markers and 13 rebounds.
Clarkson will be joining the team until its final game. He planes back to the US immediately after its game on Friday.
From a tight first half, the nationals broke away in the second period with a five-point swing from Standhardinger and a basket from Raymond Almazan, giving the team a 57-47 lead at the half.
They held the Japanese scoreless for over four minutes at the start of the third while scoring 11 to go up by 21 points at 68-47.
Japan, which sent four of its players home for paying prostitutes for sex and played with only eight warm bodies, closed in to within 15, five times the last 78-93, but the nationals finished even stronger as a Clarkson dunk triggered a 10-point explosion that gave them a 103-78 lead.
The scores:
Philippines (113) – Standhardinger 27, Clarkson 22, Lee 17, Pringle 9, Belga 7, Almazan 6, Taulava 6, Norwood 5, Ahanmisi 5, Tiu 5, Erram 4.
Japan (80) – Nakamura 16, Kumagae 15, Vendrame 11, Shaefer 11, Ota 10, Harimoto 10, Tsuji 5, Tamaki 2.
Quarters: 27-27; 57-47; 82-64; 113-80.
