Playing in their fourth game in as many days — second in less than 17 hours, tired legs got the better of Gilas Pilipinas’ under-18 boys team.
Against a well-rested Lebanon team, the young Filipinos were bamboozled early and could not recover, bowing 83-99 that sent their FIBA Under-19 World Cup hopes crashing, Tuesday at Azadi Basketball Hall in Tehran, Iran.
Gilas Youth, who were coming off three consecutive games in the pool stages, immediately plunged into action for the knockout quarters against the Baby Cedars, who had yesterday off and only played two games in the group stages.
Initially, the knockout quarters of the tournament were supposed to take place a day after the group stages ended but Iran’s seniors’ team was hosting Japan in the same venue on the 25th resulting in the change in schedule.
And gone was the activity of the young Pinoys, especially on the defensive end as the kids were running on fumes.
Sensing blood in the early goings of the game, Bryan Mansour and Lebanon raced to a 27-11 lead.
Lebanon’s lead went to as high as 37 points in the game as the Filipinos simply could not find their footing in the game.
Mason Amos, who was averaging 27.0 points per game in the group phase, was limited to just 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field with seven rebounds.
All in all, Lebanon, the worst shooting team in the tournament in the group stages, fired 17 triples in the game.
Mansoor got 28 points built on six treys while Lebanon’s top star Karim Rtail dropped 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists in a no-relief effort.
Karl Zamatta tallied a double-double with 17 rebounds and 10 boards while Karl Kozah chipped in 18 markers — all of which came from downtown.
Kyle Gamber was the other double-digit scorer for the Philippines with 10 as Gilas shot just 38-percent from the field.
Gilas will drop to the classification phase of the Under-18 continental tournament.
The Scores:
Philippines 83 – Amos 11, Gamber 10, Abadam 9, Pablo 9, Demisana 9, Nacaua 8, Coronel 8, Bahay 7, Gagate 6, Porter 3, Alao 3, Andres 0.
Lebanon 99 – Mansour 28, Rtail 25, Kozah 18, Zamatta 10, AR. Sabbagh 6, Sleimann 4, Assaf 4, A. Sabbagh 4, Nasar 0, Alalia 0.
Quarterscores: 11-27, 35-53, 53-80, 83-99.
