Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
TAIPEI – Finishing second was “respectable,” but Gilas Pilipinas achieved far more than that after winding up its 2015 Jones Cup stint here on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s not really what you want, but you take the positives out of it,” coach Tab Baldwin said, moments after the Filipinos manhandled young Chinese Taipei-B, 96-67 at Xinzhuang gymnasium.
“(Second place) is respectable,” Baldwin went on. “We came here primarily, like Iran, Korea and Japan, to get better for the Fiba Asia. And we have achieved that. We will take the positives out of the experience in the Jones Cup.”
Baldwin and his intrepid 16 fly back to Manila on Monday morning and will resume work the following day, finishing with a 6-2 record here after getting 22 points from Gary David and the boost of energy from Calvin Abueva that reversed the Filipinos’ slow start against Taipei-B.
Gilas bucked a bum start and needed the entry of Abueva to get going. But the 6-foot-1 dynamo left near the end of the first quarter after taking a hard fall, never coming back after scoring eight points and grabbing four rebounds in six minutes.
Abueva’s last basket gave the Filipinos a 21-20 lead from 2-10 down and Gilas was never headed the rest of the way.
Moala Tautuaa had 12 points and nine rebounds coming off the bench and Jason Castro finished with 15 in returning to start at the point guard spot.
Marc Pingris, Dondon Hontiveros sat it out with Terrence Romeo missing a third straight game because of a left ankle sprain. Jimmy Alapag played just one game because of a recurring quad muscle injury.
The win meant the first second place finish for any Philippine Team in this annual event as even if Taipei-A wins over South Korea in the nightcap, the Filipinos will still be runners-up to Iran because of the winner-over-the-other rule.
Iran captured its fifth Jones Cup title on Saturday night after running roughshod over Spartak Primorye of Russia, 78-54, to end with a 7-1 record.
One of Gilas’ two losses came at the hands of the Iranians last week. The other setback was dealt by South Korea.
The scores:
GILAS PILIPINAS 96 – David 22, Castro 15, Tautuaa 12, De Ocampo 10, Abueva 8, Intal 7, Ramos 7, Thoss 6, Rosario 6, Ganuelas-Rosser 3, Norwood 0, Taulava 0.
CHINESE TAIPEI-B 67 – Chien 18, Hsiao 14, Lin 9, Lee 9, Huang 8, Lee 3, Liu2, Lin CW 2, Chen 2, Chou 0, Cheng 0, Chien 0.
Quarters: 24-21, 50-32, 82-52, 96-67