Chooks to Go Pilipinas destroys Dubai, sets up Thailand rematch for 5th place

MANILA, Philippines – Chooks to Go Pilipinas made quick work of Shabab Al Ahli-Dubai, 92-57, in the classification round of the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in Chenzhou, China, Friday afternoon, Manila time. 

The easy victory now earns Chooks a rematch with Mono Vampire Thailand in the final round of the Battle for 5th. In the worst-case scenario, the Philippines can fall no further than 6th place. 

After a cold stalemate for half of the first quarter, Chooks burst to an 8-0 run that pretty much sealed the deal. The hapless Shabab squad never came close again for the rest of the game, as was the case in all of their losses. 

As usual, Kiefer Ravena led the Chooks charge with 20 points and 6 rebounds in just 20 minutes of play. Surprisingly, Isaiah Austin struggled in this game, with only 10 points, 8 boards and a block in 25 minutes. Three other players broke double-digit points for the Philippines, including a perfect game from LA Revilla (12 points, 5/5 field goals).

For the 7-man roster of Dubai, it was only Qais Alshabebi who did the heavy lifting, as he tallied 28 points and 13 rebounds on 12/35 shooting in 39 out of 40 minutes of action. – Rappler.com