Gilas Pilipinas rules MVP even with still a game away. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Gilas Pilipinas got the international feel that it wanted, and Terrence Romeo finally got his hands on the Wellington Saints of New Zealand and showed the Kiwis what he is all about.
Romeo scored 14 points in the fourth period and led a furious finish by the Filipinos, who rallied from 13 down in the third quarter for an 84-81 victory to wrap up the MVP Cup Invitational title before an animated home crowd at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Absent in a 92-88 overtime win in the Jones Cup nine days ago because of a left ankle sprain, Romeo came off the bench and delivered the hurt on the Kiwis as the Filipinos won a second straight game and will win it all regardless of the result of their final game against Chinese Taipei at 5 p.m. today.
Romeo drained all of his four triples in the final frame and then hit two free throws in the last 7.7 ticks that helped seal the win.
“We just couldn’t find the guys to make the shots (earlier in the game),” Gilas coach Tab Baldwin said. “But then (Terrence) Romeo got hot and it took me probably a little too long to make those adjustments.”
Meanwhile, Talk ‘N Text notched its first win after nipping the Taiwanese, 99-91.
The Scores:
First Game
TALK ‘N TEXT 99—Tautuaa 20, Rosario 19, Seigle 17, Miranda 11, Fonacier 9, Rodriguez 9, Sumalinog 5, Reyes J. 4, Reyes R. 3, Aban 3, Carey 0, Espiritu 0.
CHINESE TAIPEI 91—Liu 24, Tien 19, Tsai 16, David III 11, Chen S.N. 6, Lu 5, Chen S.C. 4, Chen S.H. 3.
Quarters: 28-25; 44-47; 65-73; 99-91.
Second Game
GILAS PILIPINAS 84—Romeo 18, Blatche 16, Abueva 10, Taulava 9, De Ocampo 9, Castro 7, Hontiveros 6, Intal 5, Pingris 4, Norwood 0, Thoss 0.
WELLINGTON SAINTS 81—Braswell 25, Edwards 17, Turner 17, Davis 12, Ekenasio 4, Ruscoe 3, Mills 2, Watkins 1, Bloxham 1.
Quarters: 20-23, 38-42, 54-65, 84-81.