Sajonia-led Gilas 3×3 keeps rolling in Asian Games, dumps Taiwan for 2-0 start

MANILA, Philippines – Unheralded Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 continued to turn heads in the 19th Asian Games after dumping Chinese Taipei, 17-12, in the Deqing Basketball Court in Huzhou, China, on Tuesday, September 26.

Former FEU standout turned San Beda recruit Bryan Sajonia led the young Gilas rally with 6 points as incoming FEU rookie JR Pasaol and St. Benilde transferee Justine Sanchez scored 4 apiece.

Sajonia’s San Beda teammate Bismarck Lina, formerly of UP, added 3 points in the nip-and-tuck game that saw Chinese Taipei threaten within two, 12-14, with just 37 seconds left.

However, the Gilas Under-23 selection got the game under control as Lina – scoreless up until that point – broke through the scoreboard with an easy layup off a spin move, 15-12, before icing the contest at the free throw with 19 seconds to play, 17-12.

With the win, the Philippines boosts its chances of an outright quarterfinal berth as it now stands alone atop Pool A with a 2-0 record. Chinese Taipei, meanwhile, dropped to a 1-1 slate after a 22-12 win over Hong Kong.

The second- and third-best teams in each pool will go through a pre-quarterfinal knockout before clinching a playoff berth. – Rappler.com