Gilas Pilipinas Boys off to rousing start in Seaba Qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines—Hoping to put their unforgettable Fiba U17 World Cup performance behind, Gilas Pilipinas Boys put on a dominant show to begin their campaign in the Seaba Qualifiers on Friday.

The Gilas Boys began their bid for a spot in the Fiba U18 Asia Cup with a 97-71 drubbing of host Malaysia at MABA Stadium.

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Things were a lot different for coach Josh Reyes and Gilas this time, with high school sensation Andy Gemao in the lineup.

READ: Gilas Boys lose to USA by 96, bow out of Fiba U17 World Cup

Gemao led the attack with 17 points while Cabs Cabonillas dominated in the paint for the Philippines with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

A stark contrast to its World Cup campaign, Gilas used a strong second quarter to leave the Malaysians behind.

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The young Nationals unleashed a blistering 22-3 run to build a 47-26 lead and never looked back.

University of Santo Tomas’ Wacky Ludovice added 11 points for Gilas

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