No mercy: Gilas obliterates Myanmar 147-40
MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas took the floor in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Friday night meaning nothing but business.
And in 40 minutes, it showed.The hosts decimated a hapless Myanmar side, 147-40, for a rousing SEABA debut.
Calvin Abueva—informally the face of the squad—proved why he is such, equally pacing and electrifying the team with 22 points, six boards five steals. Gilas cadet and PBA rookie Roger Pogoy scored the early buckets in succession to help pave the way for a run. After roughly 38 minutes of action, the lead reached the century mark.
“I know there’s a lot of talk around this game, around this campaign. The only thing we were really concerned in this ball game is our hustle numbers,” head coach Chot Reyes said.“As far as we’re concerned, we just wanted to come out playing the game we want.”
“I told the players a lot of times in the international competition, tayo ‘yung dehado. We’ll still play with the same kind of intensity and effort,” he said.
Another newcomer in Allein Maliksi added 20 points. PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo chimed in 14 more in the tussle that saw all of the cagers play. Pogoy finished with 17.
For the Burmese’s part, this is their first SEABA outing since the early ’90s. Their squad has an average age of 20 and stands at only 6’0”, with their tallest at 6’5”.
Myanmar drew most of their scoring from Wana Aung and Aung Myat Phyo, who finished 12 and eight points, respectively.”
It’s a fine line. Kung mag-baboy naman kami, if we don’t defend them, let them lay-up, and if we don’t take shots or take haphazard shots and make haphazard plays, then that’s a bigger sign of disrespect, not only for the opponent but for the game,” Reyes commented on the question of showing mercy to the Burmese side. “I’m sure even for Myanmar, they wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“I just love the way how we did the little things,” he added.
The Filipinos will take on the Singaporeans next. Although it is worth noting that the latter fell flat in their opening game against the Indonesians.
The scores:
PHILIPPINES 147 – Abueva 22, Maliksi 20, Pogoy 17, Fajardo 14, Jalalon 13, Rosario 13, Wright 12, Aguilar 11, Blatche 11, Romeo 6, Almazan 6, Castro 2.
MYANMAR 40 – Wana 12, Aung M. P. 8, Zaya 6, Aung P. W. 3, Tin 3, Sai 2, Thant 2, Sei 2, Kaung 2, Wai 0, Thein T. O. 0, Thein H. 0.
Quarters: 32-7; 66-12; 110-29; 147-40.
