Lebanon scores crucial win over Philippines in the Fiba U18 Asian Championship. –FIBA BASKETBALL
MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas youth team kissed its World Cup hopes goodbye after suffering a 99-83 loss to Lebanon in the quarterfinals of the Fiba Under-18 Asian Championship on Wednesday at Azadi Basketball Hall in Tehran, Iran.
Bryan Mansour and Karim Rtail showed the way in the Lebanese’s blowout victory where they led by as many as 37 points in the fourth quarter, and limited the tournament’s leading scorer Mason Amos, who averaged 24.3 points per game, to just 11 points.
Mansour drilled six three-pointers to finish with 28 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists, while Rtail delivered 25 points including four treys, and grabbed six boards and four dimes as Lebanon qualified for the Fiba U19 World Cup next year in Hungary.
Only the top four teams will advance to the World Cup.
The Lebanese drilled 17 triples with Karl Kozah joining the party with six threes to finish with 18 points, while Karl Chris Zamatta put up 10 points and 17 rebounds.
Lebanon scores crucial win over Philippines in the Fiba U18 Asian Championship. –FIBA BASKETBALL
Lebanon dominated Gilas right from the get-go with a 27-11 start and extended it to a 25-point spread, 52-27, with a minute remaining at the half, where they fired seven threes.
Mansour drilled a booming triple at the 7:20 mark of the fourth to build a formidable 37-point advantage, 93-56, and never looked back.
It was the Philippines’ first loss after sweeping three matches in the group stage. The young Filipinos have been relegated to the classification round on Friday against the loser of the Japan-Chinese Taipei quarterfinals.
Amos shot 3-of-7 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. Earl Abadam, Gabriel Demisana, and Manuel Luis Pablo had nine points each, while James Nacua and Joshua Coronel added eight apiece.