The Nokia-RP team got a taste of competition awaiting them in the Asian Junior Men’s Championship, courtesy of no less than perennial regional champion China.
The RP juniors suffered a 56-84 beating from the Chinese in the final day of the Manila Youth Invitational Basketball Championship elimination round last night at the Astrodome.
Earlier, Taiwan wore down an undermanned Lithuanian side, scoring a come-from-behind 84-78 overtime win to set up a title showdown with the Lithuanians at the close of the short invitational tourney today in the same venue.
The host team and the Chinese, ending up with identical 1-2 win-loss cards in the elims, meet again for third place in the 5 p.m. curtain-raiser.
The RP boys’ lone victory came at the expense of Taiwanese, 84-66, Friday. Coach Franz Pumaren and his staff, however, were convinced that the Taiwanese held back on their game.
The Philippines and Chinese Taipei are bracketed with Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates in group matches in the Asian joust slated Aug. 28-Sept. 5 in Tehran, Iran.
“They (the Taiwanese) called just three to four plays, and obviously didn’t play their usual game,” said coach Tonichi Yturri.
The Taiwanese gave the RP juniors the kind of tune-up they needed, playing heads-up basketball throughout.
Coach Li Chunjiang called on his boys to assert themselves in the contest, making the hosts to work hard for their points and defensive stops.