Gilas Pilipinas loses to China in classification match

Gilas Pilipinas is bound for a seventh-place finish at best in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games as they lost to China 78-71 in the classification round.

Already out of the medal picture after their close win against Kazakhstan, Gilas was relegated to the classification round that will determine fifth to eighth places.

Gilas took a 4-0 lead to start the game but they could not keep up with the Chinese who built a lead of as big as 18 points. One final run late in the fourth quarter allowed the Philippines to cut the deficit down to just four points but they fell short once more.

With the loss, Gilas will now battle Mongolia for seventh place.

Marcus Douthit led Gilas once again with 24 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Ranidel De Ocampo added 14 markers. They were the only Gilas players to score in double digits compared to five for China.

Jimmy Alapag and Marc Pingris both didn’t play for Gilas due to injuries while June Mar Fajardo once again played limited minutes.

Xiaoyu Liu led the young Chinese team with 16 points while Tailong Zhao added 14. China will face Qatar for the fifth spot in the rankings.

Gilas started the game with a 4-0 lead courtesy of two free throws from Douthit and a basket from Gary David but it didn’t take long before the Chinese grabbed the control. Coach Chot Reyes was called for a technical foul, helping China grab a 10-6 advantage.

China held a 21-17 lead after the first 10 minutes. Douthit led all scorers with six points at that point.

The Chinese built their first double-digit lead at 31-19 after a triple from Zhao Tailong midway through the second period. Gilas got to within six points, 36-30, after a Jared Dillinger steal led to a fastbreak layup for Gabe Norwood but China held on for a 42-34 lead at the half.

Xiaochuan Zhai led China with eight points in the first 20 minutes while Ailun Guo and  Xiauxu Li added five each. Douthit held the fort for Gilas with 16 points while Norwood and De Ocampo added four each.

China broke the game open early in the third quarter as they stretched their lead to 17 at 55-38. However, the Philippines, led by De Ocampo, managed to trim it down to 12, 65-53 heading into the final quarter.

Gilas started the fourth with a 6-0 run to cut China’s lead in half, 65-59. The Chinese countered with a 5-0 run to get their lead back up to 11 points.

With another loss looming, Tenorio stepped up for Gilas as his triple capped a run that reduced their deficit down to just four points at 70-66.

This was, however ,the closest they got as the Chinese closed out the game strong.

With Gilas relegated to the playoff for seventh place, this will mark the worst-ever finish by the Philippines in the Asian Games men's basketball competition. In the 2010 Asian Games, Smart Gilas-Pilipinas, bannered by the original Gilas pool of amateurs JVee Casio, Mac Baracael, Chris Tiu, and Marcio Lasster and backstopped by PBA players Sol Mercado, Asi Taulava and Kelly Williams, finished sixth.

The scores:

China 78: Liu 16, Li 13, Zhao 14, Zhai 13, Guo 10, Zhou 6, Zhou 3, Wang 3.

Philippines 71: Douthit 24, De Ocampo 14, Tenorio 7, Dillinger 7, David 6, Aguilar 4, Norwood 4, Chan 3, Lee 2, Fajardo 0.

Quarters: 21-17, 34-23, 65-53, 78-71.