CHANGSHA – Gilas Pilipinas fought meticulously against dangerous rival Lebanon Thursday night, hacking out an all-important 82-70 win to make to the medal round of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship and assure the country of at least a spot in the Olympic wild card play next year.
Jayson Castro struck hard from the long court and on transition play while Andray Blatche asserted himself around the paint, leading Team Phl to the victory that get the Filipinos to the Final Four with host China, titleholder Iran and surprise semifinalist Japan.
The Nationals seek a second straight FIBA Asia final appearance versus the Japanese, 81-67 winners versus the Qataris in their Final Eight matchup.
At the end of their 12-point conquest of the Lebanese, Blatche and Calvin Abueva were among Gilas players hollering “easy! easy! easy!”
It’s obviously directed at Lebanon coach Veselin Matic who on the eve of the match told The STAR: “We can play the Philippines easy, easy.”
In the team meeting Wednesday, coach Tab Baldwin wrote on the board what Matic had said.
The Nationals took it to heart and made the Serbian coach regret his words.
Terrence Romeo, Marc Pingris, Calvin Abueva and Gabe Norwood also dished out solid games as the Philippines got past the Final Eight of the biennial Asian meet for the third straight time.
Team Phl finished fourth in Wuhan in 2011 and landed second in Manila in 2013.
Castro and Blatche came out firing as the Nationals seized the early initiative and held sway through the end of the duel between the Southeast Asian kingpin and the West Asian power.
Lebanon naturalized player Jay Youngblood broke the ice with a quick basket. As Castro answered with a three-pointer and a drive-in basket, the Filipinos led all the way to the finish.
Castro led all scorers with 25 points, including five treys while Blatche came up with a double-double game with 24 markers and 17 rebounds.
The Chinese overpowered the Indians, 104-58, while the Iranians clobbered the Koreans, 75-62, to arrange their own semis duel.
They were projected to clash for the championship, but will instead square off in the semis because of Iran’s defeat at the hands of Gilas Pilipinas Monday.
All semifinalists are assured of at least a berth in the Olympic wild card competition. The last team that will remain standing tomorrow secures automatic ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
FIBA Asia newcomer Palestine outfought Kazakhstan, 83-81, in overtime while the Rajko Toroman-mentored Jordan squad massacred Hong Kong, 82-62, to set up a fight for ninth place.
The losers, meanwhile, were relegated in a battle for 11th place.
On Monday, Chinese Taipei topped Kuwait, 99-69, for 13th place while Singapore beat Malaysia, 92-59, for 15th place.
This Friday, the FIBA Asia board sits down in a meeting, discussing the merger of the Asia-Oceania zones and the new World Cup qualifying format that will take effect starting 2017.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan, who flew in here yesterday, will personally attend the conference.
China stamped its class on India, thus, avenging a shocker of a loss the Chinese suffered at the hands of the Indians in their FIBA Asia Cup duel in Wuhan last year.
And in hurdling the Indians, the Chinese are back in the FIBA Asia Championship semis after being stunned by Chinese Taipei in the quarters in Manila in 2013.
The Scores:
GILAS PILIPINAS 82 – Castro 25, Blatche 24, Romeo 10, Pingris 8, Abueva 7, Norwood 5, De Ocampo 3, Ganuelas 0, Thoss 0, Hontiveros 0.
LEBANON 70 – Haidar 18, Bawji 17, Youngblood 12, Abd 8, Arakji 8, Saoud 7, Akl 0.
Quarters: 20-16, 37-32, 57-49, 82-70.