Sotto, Quiambao will Gilas to OT squeaker vs Jordan
SAN FRANCISCO, United States — Kevin Quiambao hit the go-ahead triple while Kai Sotto pulled off a game-saving block to tow Gilas Pilipinas to a hard-fought 82-81 overtime victory over Jordan in their fourth-window clash of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Tied at 79-all with 30.6 seconds to go after a split from the line by Omar Khaled Salman, Gilas went to Quiambao for the win.
CJ Perez drove to the basket and kicked the ball out to Quiambao, who was waiting at the wing.
The forward, then, sank the trey with 11.7 seconds to go to push the Philippines ahead, 82-79.
Perez, then, fouled out after hacking Freddy Ibrahim with 9.7 seconds to go. Ibrahim made both to slice the deficit to one, 81-82.
Jordan then forced a five-second violation in the next possession, setting themselves up for a shot at the win.
The squad went to Abdullah Olajuwon, who drove to the basket and challenged Sotto.
But Sotto swatted the ball away as time expired, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
The Philippines, playing without Justin Brownlee, had a slow start but found its rhythm just in time in front of the home crowd.
Sotto top-scored for the Filipinos with 18 points, Perez with 16, while Quiambao at Ramos chipped in 14 each in the win.
Ibrahim led Jordan with 22 points, going 4-of-6 from 3-point range, while Jalen Harris added 19.
Gilas thus rose to 3-4 in Group E play.
It will face Iran, which absorbed a close 93-91 defeat to New Zealand earlier in the day, on Sunday at the same venue.
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