At A Glance
- BANGKOK — Gilas Pilipinas banked on its defense not only to recover from a lethargic start but also to survive Indonesia's final play for a 71-68 victory in the semifinals of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games men's 5-on-5 basketball at the Nimibutr Arena on Thursday, Dec. 18 here.
BANGKOK — Gilas Pilipinas banked on its defense not only to recover from a lethargic start but also to survive Indonesia's final play for a 71-68 victory in the semifinals of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games men's 5-on-5 basketball at the Nimibutr Arena on Thursday, Dec. 18 here.
The Nationals tightened up their defensive screws to overcome a 12-point deficit and establish a big lead in the final frame – enough to fend off a furious rally from the Indonesians in the waning seconds.
Gilas established a 70-56 cushion inside the last five minutes but the Timnas went on a 12-0 run to come within two 70-68 in the last 22 seconds.
The Filipinos, however, pulled off two big defensive stops, first a 24-second violation that resulted in a free throw for Robert Bolick, and then another when they forced Indonesia to a tough three-point attempt that barely reached the rim in the final possession.
Thirdy Ravena came up big for Gilas with 16 points and six rebounds while Jamie Malonzo chipped in 13. Ray Parks Jr. finished with 12 before getting ejected after being assessed with a flopping technical.
“A win is a win. We’re happy with it. We got a chance to move on to the finals,” Gilas coach Norman Black said. “We have to give credit to the other team. They didn’t give up. They kept fighting.
“We did make some knucklehead moves down the stretch as far as decision making is concerned. But we have to be there and we have to win and get to the finals,” he added.
Derrick Xzavierro paced the Timnas with 22 points and 15 rebounds while Abraham Grahita and Dame Diagne finished with 13 apiece.
Gilas will face the winner of the match between Thailand and Malaysia currently being held as of press time.