Coming out aggressively right from the get-go, the towering Batang Gilas Pilipinas opened their 2017 SEABA U-16 Championship convincingly with a 108-42 demolition of Singapore, Sunday afternoon at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
6-foot-11 Kai Sotto led the pack with 17 points on 53 percent shooting alongside five rebounds and three blocks. Terrence Fortea had 14 points and eight boards, while Rence Padrigao had 14 and six dimes.
“Okay yung nilaro ni Kai at ni Forthsky. Na-control natin ang rebounds because of Kai Sotto, and we also dominated sa defense natin sa shaded area. Si Forths naman, nadala niya yung team sa offense and defense,” said head coach Mike Oliver.
A rousing 19-3 start by the young Filipinos, highlighted by two Mac Gudaña and-one plays and punctuated by a Sean Padrigao lay-up in the 4:59 mark of the first period, proved to be the beginning of a lopsided affair all throughout.
A contested lay-up by Rafael Go with 2:04 left to play lifted Batang Gilas past the century mark, 101-39, and baskets by Sotto in the waning seconds sealed the deal for the youth team.
Nobody from Singapore scored in double figures, with Tor Lok Yao and Bryan Teo serving as their leaders by scoring nine points apiece. The latter added nine boards in his stat line to flirt with a double-double.
Team Pilipinas shot 48 percent from the floor, but it was their defense that brought damage. They forced Singapore to commit 33 turnovers, and converted it to 43 points. They also out-rebounded their smaller counterparts, 68-43.
“Defensively yes pero yung offense natin medyo magulo pa ng kaunti. Pero at least nasunod naman ang game plan na maging aggressive tayo, which is yung importante,” Oliver added.
Filipino-Singaporeans Reuben Amado, David Chuabio, and Jack Lacsado combined for just 3-for-21 from the field, with Chabio shooting just 1-for-10 for four points. Amado had four markers as well.
Batang Gilas will look to post back-to-back wins as they take on Indonesia tomorrow, Monday, May 15, at 12:00 PM. Meanwhile, Singapore will aim to bounce back versus Malaysia on Tuesday, May 16, also at 12:00 PM.
The Scores:
Philippines (108) – Sotto 17, Padrigao 14, Fortea 14, Go 11, Guadana 9, Pascual 9, Calimag 9, Lazaro 7, Lina 6, Cortez 6, Chiu 4, Tan 2.
Singapore (42) – Teo TL 9, Tor 9, Li 4, Amado 4, Teo ZM 4, Chuabio 4, Chin 4, Soh 2, Tan 2, Lacsado 0, Razali 0, Lim 0.
Quarterscores: 33-12, 56-26, 84-35, 108-42.
