Smart Gilas slays KL Dragons of Malaysia, 95-64.
KL Dragons of Malaysia really gave our lads a scare in the second quarter of the match, but they were able to get their composure and defeated our Malaysian counter-parts. Here's the latest news feed courtesy of FIBA.Com.
FIBA ASIA - Second half spurts see Smart Gilas, Mahram stay perfect.
MANILA (22nd FIBA Asia Champions Cup) - Chris Lutz and Joseph Evans Casio spearheaded a third quarter run and the rest followed suit as hosts Smart Gilas dispatched KL Dragons 95-64 on the second day of the 2011 FIBA Asia Champions Cup to improve to 2-0 in Group A.
It was only the second time that Smart Gilas faced a SEABA team in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup. They beat then host Satria Muda BriAma of Indonesia in overtime in Jakarta in 2009.
For KL Dragons, this was baptism of fire in FIBA Asia competitions, pitted as they were against the home team.
The Malaysian side did well in the first half, using a 25-19 second quarter to lead 40-39 at the break.
However, Smart Gilas turned the game to their advantage for good by holding their opponents to just nine third quarter points.
Casio and Lutz combined for 14 of Smart Gilas' 26 points in the period and the hosts carried that momentum into the final frame where they pulled away some more.
Smart Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman attributed his team's slow start to a lack of familiarity with their opponents.
“It was just that we had not seen this team (KL Dragons) before and therefore some of our decisions in defense were wrong a little," he said.
"But once we found our rhythm there was no stopping us. Defensively I think we shut them out. That was the key."
Toroman's counterpart Ariel Vanguardia conceded the third quarter did his team in.
“We were completely outplayed (in the third quarter),” said the Dragons head coach.
In Group B, two-time reigning champions Mahram needed a near-perfect fourth quarter to shake off Al Shabab of the United Arab Emirates for a 90-73 win that sees them stay undefeated.
Shabab did extremely well to stay close and were within 64-62 heading into the final frame.
Mahram looked to have broken the game wide open with a run of 12 unanswered points that spanned the second and third quarters.
Shabab trailed 58-43 midway through the third period, but kept their poise and made a valiant comeback with a 19-3 spurt to cut the deficit to two in five minutes.
The Iranian giants had too much firepower and outscored the minnows 26-11 in the final frame to put the game beyond their reach and the result beyond doubt.
Meanwhile, Qatar's Al Rayyan brought back memories of their 2005 FIBA Asia Champions Cup triumph with a comprehensive 90-67 win over Syria’s Al Jala’a to begin their Group B campaign on Sunday.
“It was nice to start this way,” said Yasseen Musa, the only remaining player in the current Rayyan squad to have tasted success in Quezon City six years ago. “Things just fell in place."
An impressive 24-0 run spanning the late stages of the second quarter and first five minutes of the third saw Al Rayyan's lead go from 42-32 to 66-32.
Chauncey Leslie had a game-high 30 points before leaving the game with a leg injury. Musa added 21 points.
“We have tremendous expectations. Therefore, it was very important for us to start with a win,” said Rayyan head coach Brian Rowsom.
In the day's opening game, Ittihad of Saudi Arabia saw off stubborn Iraqi champions Duhok for their first victory, 83-75.
With the win, Ittihad - winners of the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in 2001 and finalists in 2000 and 2002 - kept their hopes of a quarter-final place alive.
Duhok, who had lost ASU on Saturday, now face an uphill task.
There was little between the two teams in the first half.
The score was tied at 37 at the break and it was more of the same for the better part of the third quarter.
Ittihad made their move late in the period with Serbian import Vladislav Dragajlovic scoring four quick points to edge his team into a 57-50 lead heading into the final frame.
The Saudi Arabian scored the first five points in the last quarter and that sealed the issue.
Dragajlovic finished with a game-high 27 points, but it was veteran Adil Alhujani who caught the imagination with his vintage outside shooting prowess.
The 41-year-old seasoned campaigner hit six three-pointers and finished with 21 points, 12 of them coming in the second half.
FIBA Asia
Game stats. http://www.fibalivestats.com/matches/4142/03/54/22/33dClA97s5Esk/
FIBA ASIA - Second half spurts see Smart Gilas, Mahram stay perfect.
MANILA (22nd FIBA Asia Champions Cup) - Chris Lutz and Joseph Evans Casio spearheaded a third quarter run and the rest followed suit as hosts Smart Gilas dispatched KL Dragons 95-64 on the second day of the 2011 FIBA Asia Champions Cup to improve to 2-0 in Group A.
It was only the second time that Smart Gilas faced a SEABA team in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup. They beat then host Satria Muda BriAma of Indonesia in overtime in Jakarta in 2009.
For KL Dragons, this was baptism of fire in FIBA Asia competitions, pitted as they were against the home team.
The Malaysian side did well in the first half, using a 25-19 second quarter to lead 40-39 at the break.
However, Smart Gilas turned the game to their advantage for good by holding their opponents to just nine third quarter points.
Casio and Lutz combined for 14 of Smart Gilas' 26 points in the period and the hosts carried that momentum into the final frame where they pulled away some more.
Smart Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman attributed his team's slow start to a lack of familiarity with their opponents.
“It was just that we had not seen this team (KL Dragons) before and therefore some of our decisions in defense were wrong a little," he said.
"But once we found our rhythm there was no stopping us. Defensively I think we shut them out. That was the key."
Toroman's counterpart Ariel Vanguardia conceded the third quarter did his team in.
“We were completely outplayed (in the third quarter),” said the Dragons head coach.
In Group B, two-time reigning champions Mahram needed a near-perfect fourth quarter to shake off Al Shabab of the United Arab Emirates for a 90-73 win that sees them stay undefeated.
Shabab did extremely well to stay close and were within 64-62 heading into the final frame.
Mahram looked to have broken the game wide open with a run of 12 unanswered points that spanned the second and third quarters.
Shabab trailed 58-43 midway through the third period, but kept their poise and made a valiant comeback with a 19-3 spurt to cut the deficit to two in five minutes.
The Iranian giants had too much firepower and outscored the minnows 26-11 in the final frame to put the game beyond their reach and the result beyond doubt.
Meanwhile, Qatar's Al Rayyan brought back memories of their 2005 FIBA Asia Champions Cup triumph with a comprehensive 90-67 win over Syria’s Al Jala’a to begin their Group B campaign on Sunday.
“It was nice to start this way,” said Yasseen Musa, the only remaining player in the current Rayyan squad to have tasted success in Quezon City six years ago. “Things just fell in place."
An impressive 24-0 run spanning the late stages of the second quarter and first five minutes of the third saw Al Rayyan's lead go from 42-32 to 66-32.
Chauncey Leslie had a game-high 30 points before leaving the game with a leg injury. Musa added 21 points.
“We have tremendous expectations. Therefore, it was very important for us to start with a win,” said Rayyan head coach Brian Rowsom.
In the day's opening game, Ittihad of Saudi Arabia saw off stubborn Iraqi champions Duhok for their first victory, 83-75.
With the win, Ittihad - winners of the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in 2001 and finalists in 2000 and 2002 - kept their hopes of a quarter-final place alive.
Duhok, who had lost ASU on Saturday, now face an uphill task.
There was little between the two teams in the first half.
The score was tied at 37 at the break and it was more of the same for the better part of the third quarter.
Ittihad made their move late in the period with Serbian import Vladislav Dragajlovic scoring four quick points to edge his team into a 57-50 lead heading into the final frame.
The Saudi Arabian scored the first five points in the last quarter and that sealed the issue.
Dragajlovic finished with a game-high 27 points, but it was veteran Adil Alhujani who caught the imagination with his vintage outside shooting prowess.
The 41-year-old seasoned campaigner hit six three-pointers and finished with 21 points, 12 of them coming in the second half.
FIBA Asia
Game stats. http://www.fibalivestats.com/matches/4142/03/54/22/33dClA97s5Esk/
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