A 10-minute quarter-long run produced a 19-8 blitz which sent the Nationals unassaillably ahead by 20 points at the end of the third period and they repeated for the third time against the young Taiwanese.
Now comes the real business at hand — China.
The Nationals will clash with the defending champion on Tuesday in a match that could well determine where the team will be in the crossover semis and the color of medal it may win.
The tall Chinese, with two NBA recruits in Yao Ming and Menk Bateere, will shoot for win No. 2 in the quarterfinals against the Japanese today with a victory sealing the fate of RP’s chief rival for the second semis seat.
Host South Korea defeated North Korea, 101-85, and Kazakshtan, another serious contender for the semis, outclassed Hong Kong, 82-77, Thursday in their side of the quarterfinals.
Japan is still nursing some hopes of making it to the semifinals but it would take a monumental effort of bucking overwhelming odds and upending the four-time Asiad champions.
A victory by the Japanese, no matter how improbable, will force a three-way tie and ease out the Nationals from the Final Four if RP bows to the reigning titlist. But a win by China over Japan will give RP the second berth from Group One and set a hell-for-leather clash with South Korea in the semifinals.
"We’re ready for China but are they ready for us," said national coach Jong Uichico in jest.
The Nationals will have a four-day break and a dayoff tomorrow. Then Ming and Bateer and coach Wang Fei will be a pesky presence in their minds in the next two days.
The heroes of the match against Japan were still at it against the Taiwanese but on a less grand scale with the 6-foot-9 Asi Taulava doing a double-double for fourth time with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Jeffrey Cariaso added 14 points and Olsen Racela 12, including six from two three-pointers.
It was the third time the Nationals brought down Chinese-Taipei, two in tune-up in Manila, and there was no cause for alarm despite repeated comebacks by the Taiwanese.
Then Uichico called his starters at the start of the third quarter, limited their rivals to only four points in a six-minute stretch and that was the last they heard from the youthful crew from Taipei as the Nationals raced to a 62-42 margin.
"I told my boys they should not keep them in the game because if they did, the Taiwanese would gain more confidence and vice-versa, on our end we would lose our confidence. Good thing we overcome the situation," he said.
The Taiwanese tried to come back anew at the start of the fourth quarter through the outside offensives of Yang Yu Ming and Wu Chie Wei but the Nationals rode but Taiwan’s last stand and coasted to victory.