Team Pilipinas sweeps SEABA, prepares for 'real thing'
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 06/10/2009 7:13 PM
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Powerade-Team Pilipinas swept the 8th Southeast Asian Basketball Association Men’s Championship as it disposed host Indonesia, 98-68, in the finals at the Angkasapura Lanud Basketball Hall late Tuesday.
According to PBA.ph, the win has made official RP’s entry to the FIBA-Asia World Championship qualifier in Tianjin, China in August, setting up Team Pilipinas for what coach Yeng Guiao described as the “real thing.”
Pricked by their 103-64 RP beating in the elimination round last Sunday, Indonesia came out aggressive by standing toe-to-toe with their pro rivals for the first 15 minutes of the game.
Team Pilipinas was taken to a 22-all tie in the opening quarter by the Indonesian team.
The RP squad, however, came out with guns blazing in the second half by posting a 46-32 lead at the intermission to 91-54 on a three-point shot by Mick Pennisi with 4:20 left.
“We had our share of nervous moments not just in the championship game but the whole tournament,” said Guiao. “It really was a major experience, not just for the team but for me personally.”
Indonesia eventually surrendered to Powerade-RP when the latter surged ahead on a 33-11 breakaway that bridged the third and fourth quarters and posting a 37-point spread.
“We couldn’t match their speed in the second half, and we couldn’t handle their pressure on the ball,” said Indonesian coach Raoul Miguel Hidanoto.
After the game, Guiao went over the game statistics with assistant coach Gee Abanilla.
“Offensively, our three-point shooting is way below our expectations,” he said. “We have good shooters in this team but for one reason or another, we’ve not been shooting that well, even during the All-Stars series.”
Team RP shot 23.9 percent from the three-point lane in its first three games to the opposition’s combined 31.8 percent.
Guiao said they will be working on their difficulty in the rainbow territory when practice resumes on June 16.
“I’m sure we’ll be encountering a lot of zone defenses in China,” said the RP team coach.
“This tournament (SEABA) is just a confidence builder,” said Guiao. “The Jones Cup is the real test; the FIBA Asia is the real thing.”
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