July 17, 2017

Wright stays hot as Gilas makes it two in a row

TAIPEI – Gilas Pilipinas scored a twin-kill versus the hosts in the 2017 Jones Cup, grinding out a 93-82 triumph over the Chinese Taipei Team B Monday in a follow-up to their 88-72 ripping of the Taipei national team the previous day.

Less than 24 hours after their convincing victory over Taipei A, the Filipinos returned to play and barely found a way to beat Taipei B at the finish.

But that’s enough to keep the Philippines with Lithuania and Iraq at second place right behind opening-day tormentor Canada.

“Credit to the guys, they came in there with less than 24 hours of rest in between games. More of the guys had never experienced playing back-to-back before. And if we play with no energy, we are nothing,” said Gilas coach Chot Reyes.

“Taipei played with tremendous energy and we just hung in there and found a way to grind it out in the end,” Reyes added.

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Christian Standhardinger slowed down a bit from his energetic performances in the first two days but the Gilas guards and wingmen picked up the slack and delivered the kill in the homestretch.

Matthew Wright kept his wondrous three-point shooting, firing away five treys and a game-high total of 21 points.

Roger Pogoy came up with two triples and a total of 15 markers, Jio Jalalon dazzled with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists while Kiefer Ravena sizzled with 10 markers, seven dish-offs, two boards and two steals.

Mike Myers was helpful with 14 markers and the same number of rebounds as Gilas fended off a young, gritty Taipei team all geared up for its coming stint in the 2017 University Games that Taipei is set to host.

The Taiwanese were a dangerous threat all through the first 34 minutes of the contest.
The Gilas coach wasn’t surprised with how Taipei B battled them.
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“Going to the Jones Cup, I always fear the most playing Taipei B because they play with a lot of energy. They come in and they have nothing to lose. I told the guys come out with maximum effort because the other team will do,” said Reyes.

“At the half, I told the guys now you believe me we can’t take this team lightly. Now you know how serious this team is,” Reyes added.

Still on pins and needles going into the last five minutes of the game, the Nationals leaned on clutch shots by Wright, Jalalon, Pogoy and Ravena to nail the win.


(Photo: CTBA)