Hot RP cagebelles seek title sweep today

MANILA–Was Thailand holding back?

That was the big question last night as the Philippines overwhelmed the defending champion Thais, 83-57, in a preview of their 7th Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) women’s championship match at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Filipinos outran, outhustled and outshot the Thais to close out the eliminations with a perfect 4-0 slate and gain a psychological edge going into today’s title game.

But doubts were raised on the Thais’ true strength after the Asian Games-bound squad sparingly used its crack playmaker Phichayavee Panurushthanon, who scored just two points.

But RP head coach Haydee Ong remained confident that her girls will eventually make up for their debacle in Phuket 2007, when the country swept the eliminations only to yield the championship game to Thailand.

Thailand’s triple towers of 6-foot-3 Naruel Banmoo, 5-11 Nipa Sangkhum and 5-10 Ruemonchanok Doksaiyud pushed the shorter Filipinos to shoot from the outside.

Angeli Jo Gloriani, Sylvia Marie Valencia and Melissa Jacob rose to the challenge as they hit 11 of 14 three-point attempts.

The scores:
PHILIPPINES 83—Arayi 12, Valencia 11, Tolentino 10, Jacob 10, Pineda 9, Gloriani 9, Tioseco 6, Mercado 5, Borja 4, Grajales 3, Adriano 2, Jose 2.
THAILAND 57—Banmoo 21, Chirdpetcharat 11, Mathuros 6, Saechua 5, Suksomwong 5, Jantakan 3, Panurushthanon 2, Eiamsung-Ang 2, Sangkhum 2, Yothanan 0.
Quarters: 16-17, 43-36, 65-49, 83-57