Gilas 5 splits first two games in Dubai caging

(GMANews.TV) - Smart Gilas Pilipinas failed to follow up on its opening-day win when the national developmental squad suffered a 72-85 loss to Egypt on Friday night in the 22nd Dubai International Basketball Tournament at the Al Ahli Club, in Dubai. Gilas opened with a 70-57 crushing of Lebanon's Anibal Zahle on Thursday but could not find the same shooting touch against the taller and heftier opponents from Egypt's club team Al Etihad. The Rajko Toroman-coached PHL 5 was only down by five points after 10 minutes of play, 18-23, but could not keep up with the more experienced Egyptian squad. Al Etihad played great defense in the second quarter to neutralize Gilas' outside shooters, then outscored their opponents to erect a 20-point bubble, 43-23. They kept the Filipinos at bay in the third, then thwarted Gilas' numerous comeback attempts to cruise to their second straight win. Playmaker JV Casio was the lone double-digit scorer for the Gilas crew with 26 points, while Marcio Lassiter and Marnel Baracael combined for 18 points. Marcus Douthit was also a non-factor in the game as he was held to just eight points and nine rebounds. Those numbers were a far cry from Douthit's 16-point and 18-rebound performance in the previous match. That game was close in the first three quarters, as Gilas could not seem to find the right formula against the tough Lebanese squad. The Filipinos' defense picked up in the fourth quarter, however, as Douthit continued to burn the hoops, with Casio and team captain Chris Tiu hitting timely baskets to seal the win. Casio and Baracael added 10 points each to support Douthit's double-double performance.

Gilas will next face the Rashim Wright-led Sharjah Club of UAE on Saturday and will close out the first round against Syria's Al Wahda on January 24, Monday. All their games have been scheduled as the prime matches played at 9 p.m. Dubai time, which is four hours behind Manila.

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Smart Gilas Pilipinas smothers Lebanese club Anibal Zahle

(Phil Star) Smart Gilas Pilipinas leaned on its defense to fuel its attack in the fourth quarter as it turned back a tough Anibal Zahle of Lebanon, 70-57, at the start of the 22nd Dubai Invitational basketball tournament at the Al Ahli Club gym yesterday.

Naturalization candidate Marcus Douthit put on a double-double performance of 16 points and 18 rebounds while coming up with four blocks and a couple of steals in the final period that led to a number of fastbreak plays for the Nationals, who led by just a point, 48-47, after the third period before breaking loose.

JV Casio, who bagged the best guard honors last year, and Mac Baracael each fired 10 points while team skipper Chris Tiu and Mark Barroca combined for 14 points for the Nationals.

Marcio Lassiter and Aldrech Ramos contributed nine and eight points, respectively, to underscore Smart Gilas’ balanced offensive sock. But it was the Nationals’ tough defense on Anibal Zahle’s American imports Tiras Wade and Terrence Shannon that stymied the Lebanese offense and keyed the Philippines’ opening day victory.

“Anibal played with three imports but we defended well,” said Smart Gilas team manager Frankie Lim. “It was a struggle offensively in the first three quarters but we came through in the fourth quarter and that proved enough.”

Tiu sparked Smart Gilas’ fiery windup with a triple to the delight of the big Filipino crowd.

“Our countrymen were really very supportive, it really helped us in many ways,” said Lim.

Smart Gilas shoots for win No. 2 against Al Etihad of Egypt today with the Nationals taking a break on Sunday before resuming their campaign against Sharjah Club of UAE on Monday and Al Wahda of Syria on Tuesday.

The other bracket is composed of Lebanese club teams Sagesse and Hoop and the UAE national squad.

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