RP Youth bows to powerhouse Korea

The Nokia-RP Youth team lost in the face of Korea’s dazzling run-and-gun game and took an 80-98 beating at the start of the quarterfinal round in the FIBA Asian Under-18 Championships in Tehran, Iran Sunday.

The Filipinos held their ground only in the early going as they failed to match the Koreans’ vaunted speed and firepower midway in the second period, falling by as many as 19 in the third and 29 points in the fourth quarter.

With the loss, the Philippines must win against Japan and hometown favorite Iran to qualify into the semis.

“Our team’s flat start gave Korea the momentum that it rode all the way to the end. The Koreans played their best game tonight while we played our worst. We will do better if we get a chance to play them again,” said national team coach Franz Pumaren.

The RP boys actually fought back from a 29-point deficit but time ran out on the Philippines, which could only come closest at 18.

Korea, formed as early as two years ago, gave the Philippines the runaround from the second quarter with H. Lim and J. Jang taking charge with their three-point baskets.

Lim’s buzzer-beating triple to close out the first period shoved Korea on top at 24-23 before teaming up with Jang from beyond the arc to build double-digit leads.

J. Park then joined the fray in the third as he dominated the paint as Korea sat on a 65-46 cushion with D. Lee’s overhead, no-look pass to H. Kim for an easy twinner underscoring the Koreans’ solid team work.