Cyrus Baguio Highlights (RP vs. Korea )

RP VS KOREA (1ST HALF)

Korea defeats Powerade Team Pilipinas, 69-56 (Game Replay Video, Photos and Game Stats)

(source: GMANews.tv) Powerade-Team Pilipinas finally suffered its first loss in the 25th FIBA-Asia men's basketball championship falling prey to a superior Korean team, 69-56, Saturday at the Tianjin gym in Tianjin, China.

Unlike in their games against Sri Lanka and Japan, the Nationals couldn’t execute properly this time as it went cold from the field, converting just 23 of their 77 shots for a 30 percent shooting clip.

They also gave up a lot of points from the foul line, where the unbeaten Koreans (3-0) were 19-of-27 compared to RP’s 6-of-11.

“I think we missed a lot of three-point shots and gave up too many free throws. I think those were the keys," said national coach Yeng Guiao, shaking his head as he took a glance at the game statistics he was holding.

The loss, coming in the aftermath of their morale-boosting 78-69 win over Japan just the other day, relegated the Nationals to second place in Group A behind the Koreans going into the next phase of the eliminations on Monday.

The tournament takes a one-day break Sunday.

South Korea, the Philippines and Japan from Group A take on Iran, Chinese-Taipei and Kuwait from Group B starting Monday, while China, Qatar and Kazakhstan from Group C battle Jordan, Lebanon and United Arab Emirates from Group D.

As per schedule, Powerade-RP is expected to cross paths with Chinese-Taipei, the no. 2 team in Group B.

Despite their cold shooting, the Nationals still found a way to battle back from a 13-point second quarter deficit as Cyrus Baguio wowed the crowd of 6,000 – including NBA star Li Jianli and the Chinese national team – by leading a big RP run in the third period.

Complementing Mick Pennisi’s three-point shooting, Baguio scored on dazzling plays in the open court, helping the Nationals to close the gap to within 36-40.

Powerade-RP was still in the match, 50-55, midway in the final quarter when the Koreans went on a decisive 12-2 run to seal the fate of the Nationals, 67-52.

Baguio led the RP charge with 16 points.

Ahead by only three, the Koreans capitalized on a 14-4 binge in the second quarter to post a 35-22 lead, a six-minute stretch when the Nationals scored only a basket per three minute intervals.

Willie Miller then drained a three-pointer – his first after six attempts – to trim the gap at 10 by halftime.

Compounding the Nationals woes was their poor shooting percentage from the floor, going just 9-of-35 for a paltry 26 percent.

In contrast, Korea proved more accurate from the field by making 46 percent of their shots (13-of-28).

Kim Minsoo already had nine for the Sokors at halftime and was chiefly responsible for that second quarter breakaway, scoring seven straight points including a two-handed slam, to instigate that big Korea scoring run.

Earlier, the Nationals also trailed by 11, (4-15), but Mick Pennisi’s three-pointer at the 4:09 mark of the first quarter got Powerade-RP going.

The period ended with the Nationals down by just three, 14-17.

Games earlier saw Japan vented its ire against Sri Lanka, 148-45, to post its first win in Group A while Chinese-Taipei (2-1) also scored a runaway victory over Uzbekistan (0-3) in Group B, 102-78.

Meanwhile, defending champion Iran and China kept their unbeaten slates after trouncing separate opponents in Group B and C, respectively.

The Iranians blasted Kuwait, 94-46, for a 3-0 record matched by the Chinese, a 92-61 winner over Qatar.

Kazakhstan registered its first victory by edging India, 74-72, in Group C game.

Scores:

Korea 69 – Yang 14, Kim 11, Oh 11, Kim Joo Sung 8, Kang 7, Ha 6, Lee 6, Joo 2 Yang Donggeun 2, Lee Jung-Suk 2.

Powerade-RP 56 – Baguio 16, Pennisi 9, Taulava 7, Raymundo 6, Dillinger 5, Yap 4, Norwood 4, Miller 4, Thoss 1, Helterbrand 0, Santos 0.

Quarter scores: 17-14; 35-35; 51-44; 69-56.

FIBA Asia Championship Day 1 Results

Photos and Stats posted here are courtesy of www.china2009.fiba.com

PHILIPPINES DEF. SRI LANKA 115-31
Philippines: J. DILLINGER (21 pts), P. TAULAVA (13 rbs), W. MILLER (5 ast)

QATAR DEF. KAZAKHSTAN 77-62
Qatar: S. ALI (20pts), O. SALEM (11 rbs), Y. MUSA (4 ast)

KOREA DEF. JAPAN 95-74
Korea: H. YANG (23 pts), J. KIM (6 rbs), J. KIM (3 ast)



IRAN DEF. CHINESE TAIPEI 71-67
Iran: H. EHADADI (22 pts), H. EHADADI (13 rbs), M. NIKKHAH (11 ast)

CHINA DEF. INDIA 121-49
China: J. YI (16 pts), Z. WANG (7 rbs), W. LIU (4 ast)

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DEF. INDONESIA 68-63
United Arab Emirates: R. ALZAABI (19 pts), J. ABDALLA (10 rbs), Y. IBRAHIM (4 ast)

KUWAIT DEF. UZBEKISTAN 69-64
Kuwait: R. ALRABAH (19 pts), M. ASHKANANI (10 rbs), R. ALRABAH (5 ast)

JORDAN DEF. LEBANON 84-67

FROM BARANGAY GINEBRA TO GSM BLUE?

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 15:24 — junior

Enrico Villanueva and five other key players of the 2003 Ateneo champion team in the UAAP have found themselves reunited at Barangay Ginebra.

Villanueva has moved over to his fourth team in the pro league as he figured in a major multi-player trade deal consummated Monday by sister teams Purefoods and Barangay Ginebra with Burger King as the intermediary.

The former Ateneo King Eagle, who has played for Red Bull, San Miguel Beer and Purefoods, was shipped to Barangay Ginebra alongside Rich Alvarez, Paolo Bugia and Celino Cruz a day after the 2009 PBA Rookie Draft.

Villanueva, Alvarez and Bugia are reunited at the Kings camp with former Ateneo teammates JC Intal, Doug Kramer and Macky Escalona.

In giving away the four players, the Giants, in return, reacquired the services of point guard Paul Artadi and also got frontliner Rafi Reavis, off-guard Cholo Villanueva and Chris Timberlake, the Kings’ first round, eighth overall pick in last Sunday’s Draft.

In allowing themselves to be the third party in the Purefoods-Barangay Ginebra transaction, Burger King acquired rookie draftee Orlando Daroya plus Purefoods’ 2012 first and second round Draft picks.

PBA operations chief Rickie Santos said this multi-player transaction has been approved by commissioner Sonny Barrios.

The Giants and the Kings entered into this deal with both teams hoping to strike a balance in their respective lineups for the coming 35th PBA season.

In getting Rico Maierhofer as the No. 2 pick in the Draft, the Giants only got more duplication at the power forward-center spots with the former La Salle standout joining Villanueva, Bugia, Marc Pingris, Kerby Raymundo, Don Allado and Romel Adducul.

Pingris was reacquired last week by the Giants from Burger King in exchange for their first and second round picks in next year’s Draft. Prior to that, Pingris was acquired by the Whopper in the trade that sent Arwind Santos to San Miguel Beer.

With the trade, the Giants also hoped they have solved their problem at guard spots.

Artadi and Timberlake are now to rotate with Roger Yap at the 1-position. (NC)

Update: Powerade Team pilipinas Defeats Sri Lanka (115-31)

South East Asia champions Philippines got off to a winning start, beating Sri Lanka 115-31 in the Group A opener on Thursday.

The Philippines, who had finished ninth in the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship in Tokushima, scored the first eight points of the game and cruised along thereafter.

Sri Lanka, playing in the FIBA Asia Championship after a gap of 14 years – the island nation’s last appearance came in the 1995 edition at Seoul – struggled with their scoring rhythm and returned a woeful 19% in field attempts.

Philippines led 28-9 at the end of the first quarter, and only grew in strength as the game progressed.

Jared Dillinger led Philippines’ scoring with a game-high 21 points, and collected 11 rebounds.

Pauliasi Taulava came off the bench and collected a game-high 13 boards to go with his 15 points, as coach Joseller Guiao used 11 of his players for more than five minutes each.

Philippines play East Asian champions Japans on the morrow, while Sri Lanka take on last edition’s bronze medalists Korea.

source: S Mageshwaran (FIBA Asia)