Unlikely hero saves day for RP-SMB five

TAIPEI — RP-San Miguel Beer went through a wringer again but this time came out the winner as it repulsed Japan, 76-72, Thursday to remain in the hunt for the 27th William Jones Cup International basketball tournament crown at the Taipei Physical Education College gym here.

The victory was the Nationals’ fifth in six games and it came after the Filipinos took a numbing 76-80 loss Wednesday to a youthful Australian squad that snapped the RP bets’ stirring five-game run in the annual tournament.

But RP-San Miguel Beer will have to sweep its last three assignments to claim its third Jones Cup title although the task appears too tough for the Filipinos, who will face Russia, host Chinese-Taipei and Passing Lane of the United States in that order.

Dennis Miranda, one of the team’s two new reinforcements who arrived Wednesday, came through with a crucial three-point play in the dying seconds, lifting the Filipinos from a 71-72 deficit and into the lead they held at the final buzzer.

"A win is a win but we can’t be satisfied with such kind of a win," said national coach Chot Reyes. "All we had to do was to hit our shots in the end, but instead we committed two crucial turnovers."

RP-SMB actually looked forward to a trouble-free win when it surged ahead at 71-62 entering the last 4:26 of the contest. But the Filipinos suddenly turned cold and went scoreless in the next four minutes, enabling the Japanese to wrest control at 72-71 behind a 10-0 run highlighted by back-to-back triples by Kayuzuki Nakagawa and Takuro Ito, 31.1 seconds left in the game.

But Miranda, an FEU standout, took matters in his own hands, slashing into Japan’s defense and completing a three-point play off Nakagawa to regain the lead for RP-SMB, 74-72.

The Japanese then cracked under pressure in their haste to set up a play for a game-tying basket or a game-winning triple as Nakagawa bubbled in their make-or-break in-bound play, the ball finding its way to the waiting hands of Romel Adducul, who streaked home for the final count.

Although the win has put some semblance of order in the RP-SMB game, Reyes feels the rigors of playing for two straight weeks have finally caught up with his wards.

"Laspag na laspag na yung mga Vegas boys natin," Reyes said, referring to the six players who came from the Global Hoops Summit in Las Vegas and who played their 11th game in 13 days. "Hindi na sila makatapos ng game."

After holding on to a slim 38-35 lead at the half, RP-SMB got going in the third period. Tony de la Cruz presided over a run that saw the Filipinos sit on a 61-47 cushion.

But the Japanese fought back with their own run and then held RP-SMB scoreless for four minutes in the fourth quarter.

The Filipinos take on Russia-Samara, which was upset by Chinese-Taipei in a controversial match Wednesday, Friday at 6 p.m.

"Now we play teams where we have the advantage in quickness. We should capitalize on that advantage," said Reyes.