The Philippines National Team scored a 72-67 victory over the U.S. team represented by Athletes In Action. The U.S. participant looked raw but still, the Philippines barely won.
They needed a fourth quarter explosion from Jimmy Alapag, Mark Caguioa and Mick Penissi.
It was my first look at the RP Team. A full game aired over at ESPN and slightly delayed over at ABC 5.
If not for Jimmy Alapag’s stellar play, we could have started the Jones Cup on a bad note. Alapag did not miss from the field and had a solitary miss from the line. First half, Jim (as the ESPN commentator call him) Alapag penetrated at will thereby getting fouls and trips to the free line.
In the 2nd half, he unleashed successive three point shots and exuded leadership, energy and confidence. He top scored for the RP team with 19 points. Mark Caguioa chipped in 14 points including a buzzer beater to finish the Americans. With Alapag’s play, more and more likely, Helterbrand could be cut if he’ll not improve his play.
First full look at Gabe Norwood too. The guy is tall. Gabe can handle the ball. He kinda played 1 and the 2. Has outside shot and is quick and long. He can be used by Chot Reyes when it’s RP time to go pressing. Let’s see more of Gabe, let’s see if he’ll get a ticket to Japan.
Quick Breakdown:
- The Philippine National Team defense is awful. If not for US-AIA more atrocious shooting, we could have been down. Give the Koreans (Korea won BTW, over Qatar) the shots that they gave to US players, and we’ll be blown out early.
- Out of the possessions the RP got, they successfully executed set plays, in my count, only 3 times. Including the triangle run by RP team that gave Mark Caguioa a twinner. RP should execute better than what they showed in this game.
- Asi Taulava needs to improve his FT shooting. One out of eight shooting? That’s a liability deep in this tournament. To add, we need another inside presence to back up Penissi and Taulava. In the end, my guess is, Eric Menk will replace De Ocampo. Mick Penissi is actually doing well. (The backslash is, Mick is pretty much “scouted” now. Who could miss a bald man with that facial hair who does nothing but fire threes on offense (successfully, btw) and mans the painted area on defense. Mick is marked man.)
- They got to do a better job breaking the press. A slow US team gave them trouble. Without any stat sheet, using my random access memory, Don Don Hontiveros turned the ball over 4 times. A quicker Asian team that has pressing as part of the game, we’ll be turning it over more.
- Finally, check the odd basket net being used in the Jones Cup gym. It’s a throwback short net. These could be the same two nets worn by Michael Hackett and Billy Ray Bates in 1986 when Ginebra won the championships.
Next up, the Lebanon team. Game time is 5:30pm tomorrow. Hoping that, ESPN will continue to have this on their Philippine programming.
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