Gilas PH wastes strong start in loss to Congo

Congo got back at Gilas Pilipinas, 82-71, on Saturday morning (Manila time) in the Torneo de Malaga, a four-team pocket tournament in Spain.

The Filipinos ran out of steam when it mattered, allowing the Congolese to exploit their manpower woes and eventually, letting slip a chance to take on the hosts in a duel that would have greatly bolstered their preparations for the Fiba World Cup in China later this month.

Gilas got the goods from rookie Robert Bolick, who scored 21 points and Andray Blatche, who tossed in 15 more. Their efforts buoyed the Philippines for the most part until late in the third where Congo put together a spirited fightback that put the African squad on top, 58-55.

“We did a good job competing up to the final four minutes where they pulled away,” Ryan Gregorio, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas special assistant to the president, said in a statement.

“We had a very good start. We jumped to a nine-point lead early but momentum shifted when Japeth [Aguilar] was called for his second foul early in the first,” he added.

Filipinos, who were already fielding a skeletal crew, were reduced to just nine men. Gabe Norwood sat out due to a mild groin strain.

Ron Mvouika and Ruphin Kayembe led Congo with 21 and 16 points, respectively.

It also didn’t help that Gilas struggled from deep and committed more turnovers, Gregorio said. Gilas only made eight of its total 26 tries and had 18 errors in the contest.

The Philippines’ first loss in its eight-day training camp also had coach Yeng Guiao reminding the players that they had to work on their cohesion and long-distance shooting.

“He reminded the players to be better and to do extra work on their three-point shooting to offset opponents’ height and length,” Gregorio said.

The Filipinos will have to make the necessary tweaks on the fly as they face Ivory Coast again, a team they beat, 94-83, in a previous friendly in the Spanish city of Guadalajara.