Batang Gilas blasts Thais in Asia U-16

MANILA, Philippines – Batang Gilas vented its ire on listless Thailand, scoring a one-sided 81-46 victory yesterday to stay on track for fifth place in the FIBA-Asia Under-16 Championship at the Britama gym in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Nationals play the winner of the Lebanon-Kuwait game, being played at press time, today, seeking a victory for a fifth place effort after blowing their bid for the semifinals with a 66-73 defeat to the Japanese Thursday.

It will be Batang Gilas worst finish in the biennial meet after placing fourth twice in Malaysia in 2009 and Vietnam in 2011 and second to China in Iran two years ago that netted the Philippines a berth in the FIBA Worlds.

It was a bittersweet campaign for Batang Gilas, which stunned China, 78-72, at the close of the elims last Tuesday and earned the No. 2 seeding in the quarters.