Photo from Fiba.com
Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas bowed to Sareyyet Ramallah of Palestine, 89-82, in the 2017 Fiba Asia Champions Cup Saturday night at Chenzhou Sports Center in Chenzhou, China.
The Philippines had no answers to Palestine’s Jamal Abu-Shamalah and imports Todd O’Brien and Anthony Weeden, who combined for 63 points.
Shamalah, the Palestine-American forward, gave the Philippines fits with 21 points and 12 rebounds while Weeden scored a team-high 21 points and O’Brien also posted a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Kiefer Ravena, who, along with Isaiah Austin, led Chooks-PH’s comeback win over BC Astana of Kazakhstan on Friday, kept his team in the game in the fourth quarter.
Palestine took a 14-point buffer that was cut to four, 73-69, with still 5:40 remaining before Palestine countered with back-to-back triples.
Ravena finished with a game-high 24 points while Jeron Teng added 18 for PH.
Austin, who impressed with 17 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks in his debut, failed to sustain his dominating play after getting hurt in the second quarter.
The 7-foot-1 center played through an apparent leg injury and wound up with 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
The Philippines tries to bounce back against Mono Vampire of Thailand, which also split its first two games, less than 24 hours from now.