MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas reached the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup with an unblemished slate after mauling South Korea anew, 82-77, to close the third window of the qualifiers on Sunday at Angeles University Foundation Gym in Clark, Pampanga.
Dwight Ramos, Jordan Heading, Justine Baltazar, and Samjosef Belangel led Gilas’ fourth-quarter rally as they finished their Group A matches with an untarnished 6-0 record.
Ramos top-scored for the Philippines with 19 points, including five three-point conversions as Heading, Rhon Jay Abarrientos, and Kai Sotto ended up with 10 markers apiece.
South Korea heated the game with a 9-0 blast, prompting the Philippines to even the score at 11-all via basket by Angelo Kouame. Gilas even took a slim gap at 18-17, but the Koreans drained a triple to end the quarter at 20-18.
In the second period, Gilas recorded a 23-20 edge after a triple by Mike Nieto. South Korea countered to lift the score ahead at 26-23 before Ramos and Sotto connived on offense as the Philippines grabbed a 38-34 halftime advantage.
The Philippines continued its onslaught in the third period for its largest lead at 43-34 on consecutive hits by William Navarro. The Koreans rallied back for a 54-53 advantage, but Gilas notched the score anew at 56-54 on an Abarrientos trey.
Hanging on to a 63-62 lead midway in the payoff period, Heading unloaded consecutive buckets as the home team’s lead widened to 71-67. It surged to 77-71 with two minutes left after a trifecta by Ramos and an inside hit by Belangel.
However, South Korea responded with a triple from Yang Hongsek and a free throw by Ricardo Ratliffe to cut the deficit to 75-77. The Philippines increased the lead to 79-75 on Baltazar’s breakaway dunk, but Ratliffe enabled South Korea to earn a 79-77 score.
The Koreans committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Belangel, which led to the latter’s split free throw before Ramos secured the victory for Gilas with his two freebies.
Ratliffe finished the game with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds, Lee Hyunjung added 13 markers and eight rebounds, while Yang contributed 12 points for the Koreans, which finished the qualifiers with a 4-2 slate.
BOX SCORE:
PHILIPPINES 82 – Ramos 19, Sotto 10, Heading 10, Abarrientos 10, Navarro 8, Kouame 7, Baltazar 6, Belangel 6, Nieto 3, Go 3, Chiu 0.
SOUTH KOREA 77 – Ratliffe 20, H. Lee 13, Yang 12, D. Lee 9, S. Lee 8, Kim 8, Yeo 2, Byeon 2, Ha 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
18-20, 38-34, 56-54, 82-77./PN
