Gilas boys make Asia Cup Last 8

MANILA, Philippines —  Gilas Pilipinas Youth advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIBA U18 Asia Cup yesterday, somehow soothing the pain from Gilas Women’s crushing defeat and dashed Olympic dreams.

The Pinoy U18s shifted to high gear in the second half to set the tone for a runaway 72-63 win over Syria in their qualification to the quarterfinals showdown in Ahmedabad, India.

They did this hours after  the Gilas cagebelles sustained a 38-85 beating from world No. 7 Canada in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico and bowed out of the dispute for the lone ticket to the LA Games in the tournament.

George Green fired 18 points on an 8-of-13 clip while JB Cagurungan shot 12 points, all from beyond the arc, as the Gilas boys earned a Last-8 duel against China.

The Chinese booked an outright quarters slot by topping Group C with a flawless 3-0 card.

Locked in a tight battle with Syria in the first half, Gilas U18 dropped nine unanswered points in the last 1:21 of the third to seize control, 51-44.

An 8-0 bomb sparked by Cagurungan’s trey in the fourth enabled the Filipinos to grab a 59-49 tear after the Syrians threatened to within two.

Meanwhile, the Gilas cagebelles stumbled big-time against the powerful Canadians and failed in their bid to bounce back after previously blowing a 15-point lead in a 58-61 heartbreaker to host Mexico in Tuesday’s opener.

The 0-2 record and two-point card meant Gilas Women could no longer dislodge the Canadians and the Mexicans, both with four points on 2-0, from the two semis seats up for grabs in Group B, even if it goes on to beat fellow winless Senegal in the final group game Friday.