PH cagers bag silver in men’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball 

SURAKARTA, Indonesia – The Philippines settled for a silver after bowing to Thailand in the finals of the men’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball in the 11th ASEAN Para Games at the GOR Sritex Arena here Sunday, July 31.

Overpowered early, the Philippines yielded a 22-12 decision in the title match as the Nationals picked up the country’s first medal in the tournament featuring the region’s best para athletes. 

“Thailand is really known for its outside shooting and although we prepared for it, we did not expect them to be that hot early,” said Philippine coach Vernon Perea.  

“We are very happy to win the first medal for the Philippines and thankful for the opportunity and hope that this will spark our drive for more medals.” 

Thai deadshot Aekkasit Jumjarean opened with back-to-back shots beyond the arc while Kwanchai Pimkorn added a third as Thailand kicked off with a 6-0 salvo on the way to capturing the gold. 

In the preliminaries, the Filipinos clobbered Cambodia, 20-4, but also lost to Thailand, 21-7, earlier in the day.

“This is the first 3×3 men’s wheelchair squad we’ve ever had and we’re happy with this finish,” said Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo.

In women’s action, the Philippines lost to Laos, 4-0, in the bronze medal match. Cambodia, meanwhile, stunned Thailand, 7-5, in the finals to cop the gold.

The Philippines also got off to a good start in chess as the trio of FIDE Master Sander Severino, National Master Henry Roger Lopez, and NM Jasper Rom beat their separate rivals in the opening round of the men’s individual standard P1 at the Lo-rin Hotel.

Severino and Lopez topped Vietnam’s Nguyen Van Quan and Nguyen Than Tuan, respectively, while Rom turned the table on Cambodia’s Chea Sideth in securing their first full point each in the competition.

Over at the UNS Sports Center, Myanmar outplayed the Philippines, 16-11, in goalball while their men’s sitting volleyball counterparts also fell in straight sets to Cambodia, 25-9, 25-8, 25-11, at the GOR UTP courts.

In badminton at the Edutorium UMS, Jestonie Rosalita lost to Indonesia’s Agung Widodo 21-5, 21-12, in the men’s WH1 while Joseph Asoque took a 21-3, 21-7 beating to hometown bet Supriadi in men’s WH2 in their opening singles matches. – Rappler.com