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Fighting PH youth team bows to China, 85-78, to settle for silver in FIBA Asia U16

The Philippine Youth team. (Photo from Paul Desiderio's Facebook account)

(UPDATED) For the second time in two months, a silver glitters like gold anew for Team Philippines.

The Philippine under-16 team went toe-to-toe with the taller Chinese but failed to make any big headway in the stretch and absorbed an 85-78 defeat Friday night in the 3rd FIBA Asia U16 Championship finals showdown at the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran, Iran.

Ateneo high school standout Jolo Mendoza led the charge anew with 20 points while two other teammates–skipper and fellow Blue Eaglet Michael Nieto plus University of the Philippines’ Paul Desiderio–added at least 11 markers but the Nationals still came up short against the much taller Chinese, now the three-time tourney champions.

Although they failed to hoist the crown, the Nationals had already sealed their berth for next year’s FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Joining China and the Philippines is Japan, which finished third following an 85-72 triumph over fellow East Asian team Chinese Taipei earlier.

China’s 6-foot-7 center Hu Fao emerged as the biggest thorn for the Nationals as he muscled his way to 22 points, 18 rebounds and four assists while forward Zhao Yanhao topscored with 25 points, including four big triples.

China's taller frontline outrebounded their Filipino counterparts, 48-39, and also held a 22-15 edge in second-chance points. The Chinese also held a massive 32-9 edge in free throws attempted, of which they made 24 compared to 7 for the Filipinos. The Philippines kept it close with more total field goals made (32-28) and more three-point shots made (7-5).

The youth team’s improbable run duplicated the feat of its senior counterparts, collectively known as Gilas Pilipinas, who finished a fighting second in the 27th FIBA Asia men’s cage championships last August and also booked their slot in next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

Despite using a shorter rotation of seven players, the Chinese controlled majority of the game and the Nationals, courtesy of Mendoza’s basket, pulled the closest at four, 59-63, with 7:1 left to play.
The Mainland, however, refused to give the Nationals more signs of life as Hu checked back in and banged in six in the their 11-3 counterattack that restored order, time down to just 2:36.

Despite the setback, national men’s cage team coach Chot Reyes urged the up-and-coming Nationals to held their heads high using his Twitter account (@coachot).