Susan Bambico canned in a key three-pointer and veteran Emelia Vega nailed two crucial free throws in the closing seconds as the RP women beat the Thais in a thrilling finish to practically assure themselves of a medal in the one-round-robin tourney.
"Credit goes to the players. They just won’t quit," said RP coach Arturo "Bay" Cristobal amidst frenzied celebration of the flag-waiving, cheering Filipino supporters in the venue.
"They showed great character, talagang ayaw bumalik sa hotel na luhaan," Cristobal.
But some did, shedding tears of joy as they pulled the rug from under the team favored to win the championship in a follow-up on its SEABA conquest early this year in Kuala Lumpur.
Now, the Thais need to sweep their three remaining games and hope the RP women suffer a loss to get a shot at the gold medal.
Team Philippines takes a break today and returns to action versus Malaysia tomorrow. The RP men’s team was playing the Thais at presstime.
Everybody in the venue had thought the Thais had delivered the killer blows on the Filipinas as forward Nantana Koumoon banged in a trey and a short jumper that gave them a 79-73 lead with 1:58 to go.
But the Filipinas just wouldn’t quit with backcourt tandem Vega and Joan Grajale delivering key baskets that sent the team back in the thick of things at 78-79.
Bambico made a booming three-pointer that had the Filipinas finally darting ahead at 81-80.
After Nantana Koumoon tied the count at 81-all, Vega, the team’s most veteran player at 31, penetrated the lane, drew a foul from Meyphan Yothanan and knocked in both charities that sent the Philippines back on top at 83-81 with 8.3 ticks left.
A split from the foul line by Supane Ludrodkij and Sylvia Valencia closed out the game.