Encho Serrano tries to score past the stingy Belgian defense. Photo by Fiba.com
The Philippines staged a gallant stand but fell to Belgium, 18-14, Sunday in the quarterfinals of the 2017 Fiba 3×3 Under-18 World Cup in Chengdu, China.
The young Nationals could not sustain their hot start as they lost hold of a 7-4 lead and allowed the Belgians to stage a 6-1 run and grab the 10-8 advantage.
Though Encho Serrano and AJ Edu brought the Philippines back and tied the game at 12, Vincent Peeters anchored Belgium’s strong finishing kick to earn a spot in the semifinals and face Slovenia.
The Philippines could still hold its head high as the boys towed the country to its best ever finish in the tournament since its foundation in 2012.
Serrano topped the Philippines with six points, while Edu added five markers. Juan Gomez de Liano had three in the game. /atm
The Scores:
BELGIUM 18 – Peeters 6, Nouhi 5, Fogang 5, Coppens 2.
PHILIPPINES 14 – Serrano 6, Edu 5, Gomez de Liano 3, Amsali 0.