Gilas Pilipinas’ wish for a tuneup game – before leaving on Saturday for the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers’ sixth window set next week – has been answered, thanks to PBA ball club Meralco Bolts.
The flagbearers did not disappoint. They flexed their great form to destroy the Bolts, 100-82, at the Meralco Gym Friday.
The match turned into a one-sided affair in favor of Gilas when they pulled off an overwhelming 25-5 blitz – punctuated by Jayson Castro’s lay-up – abridging the second and third quarters, en route to a 76-50 lead with 4:30 on the clock.
Gilas would go on to lead by as much as 28, 100-72, after June Mar Fajardo’s split from the foul line with 3:11 left to play.
Roger Pogoy was at the forefront of the Nationals’ attack with 21 points. Marcio Lassiter supplied 14 points, including 10 in their third-quarter explosion. Fajardo supplied 13 points, while Troy Rosario chimed in 10 markers off the bench.
Reynel Hugnatan led the Orangemen with 13 points. Nico Salva and former World Cupper Ranidel de Ocampo had 12 and 11 markers, respectively.
“We’d like to thank Meralco for making themselves available,” said coach Yeng Guiao. “At least even without Andray [Blatche] we’ve seen that the guys are blending well. We played good defense and I hope it can translate to our games.”
The Filipino dribblers are set to fly to Doha tomorrow, Saturday, February 16. They will face the Qataris – whom they beat here at home back in the Qualifiers’ fourth window behind closed doors – on February 21.
They will then head to Kazakhstan for their match on the 24th. Gilas has a bone to pick versus the Kazakhs, following the stinging 88-92 loss they absorbed here at home back in the fifth window, where they went 0-2.
The Scores:
Gilas (100) – Pogoy 21, Lassiter 14, Fajardo 13, Rosario 10, Barroca 9, Aguilar 6, Thompson 5, Ravena 5, Norwood 4, Almazan 4, Castro 4, Erram 2.
Meralco (82) – Hugnatan 13, Salva 12, Amer 12, De Ocampo 11, Hodge 9, Jackson 4, Pinto 4, Cañaleta 4, Quinto 2, Jamito 2, Caram 2, Faundo 0, Tolomia 0.
Quarterscores: 23-21, 55-45, 83-59, 100-82.
