Playing for pride, Gilas Pilipinas Men’s 3×3 salvaged their campaign in their penultimate outing of the 2019 FIBA 3X3 Asia Cup Qualifiers.
RJ Abarrientos took charge for the Philippines, toppling pool leaders Iran, 21-19, Thursday morning in Changsha, China.
Abarrientos scored 18 of the Philippines’ 21 points, including the game-winner with 2:23 left in the contest.
The Philippines raise their record to 1-2. Meanwhile, Iran suffered its first loss in three games.
Iran led by as much as three points in the game, 14-11, with less than four minutes left in the contest.
The 5-foot-11 guard out of FEU-Diliman knocked down a long deuce plus the harm over the outstretched arms of Amir Sedighi to knot the game with 3:33 left.
Amirhossein Azari and Abarrientos exchanged deuces afterward, but Mohammad Ojaghi powered his way to the paint to give Iran a one-point cushion.
It did not stop there for Abarrientos as he banked another long deuce plus the foul, this time over Azari. Abarrientos tweaked his right ankle as he landed on Azari but shrugged it off.
Though Ali Allahverdi and Sedighi were able to tie the game at 19-all, Abarrientos called game with his seventh triple of the contest to complete the upset.
Ebona and Amsali chipped in two and one point each. Ricci Rivero missed the game due to a sprained right ankle.
Allahverdi and Azari had six points each to pace Iran.
The Philippines ends its campaign against 1-2 Samoa at 12:20 pm.
The Scores:
Philippines 21 – Abarrientos 18, Ebona 2, Amsali 1.
Iran 19 – Allahverdi 6, Azari 6, Sedighi 4, Ojaghi 3.
