Strong start, late rally not enough as Gilas yields to India

MANILA, Philippines – Mac Belo’s 21 points plus a strong start and a late rally proved insufficient as Gilas Pilipinas 5.0 fell short against India, 91-83, to open their 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge campaign on Friday, September 9 (Saturday, September 10 in Manila) in Tehran, Iran.

Last season’s UAAP Finals MVP Belo led the scoring with a barrage of treys, firing 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, while collecting 5 rebounds, a steal, and a block. Ed Daquioag came off the bench for 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Russel Escoto and Mike Tolomia had 11 and 10 points, respectively.

This all-Filipino Gilas squad comprised of UAAP and NCAA standouts put up a serious fight against the much taller India, racing to a 12-2 start and maintaining the advantage until late in the second quarter, when the Indians first got a taste of the lead.

India built a double-digit edge in the second half until the Filipinos rallied to briefly take the lead, 75-74, on a CJ Perez jumper with 4:47 left to play. But India responded with a deciding 17-8 run to end the game and notch its first victory.

The Philippines continues in Group B action against Chinese-Taipei on Sunday, September 11.

The tournament will run from September 9 to 18, where the top 5 finishers will earn an additional berth for their respective sub-zones in the FIBA Asia Cup (formerly FIBA Asia Championship) next year. – Rappler.com