#FIBAAsiaCup2017 Roundup Day 6

Images from FIBA.basketball.

The results of Day 6 formalized the Qualification to the Quarter-Finals pairings at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup, with Gilas Pilipinas's sweep of Group B the highlight of the day. Check out all the recaps and highlights from FIBA.com below. 

CHINA over IRAQ, 61-60
Box Scores.

China survived a scare to prevail with a 61-60 victory over Iraq to tip off Sunday's final Group Phase action.

With Iraq leading by 9 with just over four minutes remaining, the upset of the tournament appeared to be on, but China refused to go down without a fight.

Ailun Guo caught fire, scoring 10 of his 19 points in the final three minutes to see China through. Han was the only other player in double figures for China with 11.

Omar Alazawi led Iraq with 22 on 8 of 13 shooting, going six of seven from beyond the arc.




PHILIPPINES over TAIWAN, 80-74
Box Scores.

The Philippines topped Group B with a 80-74 win to hold off a relentless Qatar on Sunday afternoon.

Matthew Wright had 11 of his 25 points in the first quarter to get the Philippines off to the start they needed and hit huge baskets throughout, as his squad finished the Group Phase at 3-0.

The Philippines were hot from beyond the arc, knocking down nine of their fifteen triples in the first half in front of a raucous crowd to remain in control.

Qatar kept on fighting, led by Mansour Elhadary, and got back within five in the fourth but were unable to get over the hump, thanks in large part to the play of Wright.

Cruz added 13 points for the Philippines, whilst Elhadary had 23 points and 6 assists for Qatar, and Saad finished with 18.




IRAN over JORDAN, 83-71
Box Scores.

Iran prevailed 83-71 in the battle of the two undefeated teams in Group A.

Another near triple-double from Hamed Hadadi (17 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists), and Behnam Yakhchali's 20-point, 10-rebound double-double proved to be enough for Iran, who finish atop of Group A at 3-0.

Iran took a 43-26 lead into the break, pestering Jordan into 25% shooting, and led by as many as 22, as Jordan were chasing from the early stages.

Mahmoud Abdeen had 22 points and 9 assists to lead Jordan in the loss.




SYRIA over INDIA, 87-78
Box Scores.

Syria joined China in narrowly avoiding an upset with a 87-78 win over India in the final game of the Group Phase on Sunday evening.

Trailing by as many as nineteen early in the third quarter, Ivan Todorovic had 9 of his efficient 23 points in the period as Syria began mounting their comeback. 

Trailing by 8 to open the fourth, Micheal Madanly took over. He had 10 points in the final period, including six straight to give Syria the lead that they would hold on to for the victory.

Todorovic added 14 rebounds with his 23 points, and Madanly finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

Amritpal Singh did a little bit of everything for India with 17 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Amjyot Singh Gill had 12 points and 8 assists, Annadurai top scored with 20 points.

India finish up 0-3 at the bottom of Group A, as Syria picked up their first win at 1-2. They will play the Qualifications to Quarter-Finals on Tuesday.



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#FIBAAsiaCup2017 PREVIEW: GILAS PILIPINAS vs QATAR

Images from FIBA.basketball.

This first appeared on PBA.ph.

The win on Day 4 against Iraq ensured that Gilas Pilipinas would not only top the group but, more importantly, automatically make it to the quarter-finals. Gilas is now seeded in the Top 8, and will await the winner of the clash between Group D's 2nd place team (probably Japan) and Group C's 3rd place team (probably Korea). 

Gilas had a rousing win on Day 4 against Iraq, but they had to buckle down in the 2nd half and withstand a slow start. Unlike their game against China where they waxed hot early and often, Gilas slogged through the first half before finding their rhythm in the 3rd quarter and pulling away. They certainly would not want a slow start again here against the Qataris, who may be undermanned, but still have the potential to spring an upset.

Qatar was supposed to have the services of naturalized player Sammy Monroe, but an injury and eligibility issues prevented the former PBA import from seeing action. That is maybe the biggest reason Qatar is 0-2 entering this game. Their single best perimeter scorer and facilitator was sidelined, and they had to make do with a team composed of a hodge-podge of up-and-comers and veterans. Still, they have decent size, depth, and shooting, so Gilas must not treat this as an automatic win despite all of Qatar's handicaps.

GILAS PILIPINAS roster
Terrence Romeo - 5'10 - G
Carl Cruz - 6'3 - F
Gabe Norwood - 6'5 - F
Jio Jalalon - 5'8 - G
Jayson Castro - 5'10 - G
Calvin Abueva - 6'2 - F
June Mar Fajardo - 6'10 - C
RR Pogoy - 6'0 - G
Raymond Almazan - 6'7 - C
Japeth Aguilar - 6'10 - F/C
Christian Standhardinger - 6'8 - F/C
Matthew Wright - 6'2 - G
Ave. Height - 6'3
Ave. Age - 28

QATAR roster
Abdulrahman Saad - 21 - 6'1 - G - Al Gharafa
Ahmad Al-Darwish - 27 - 6'2 - G - Al Wakrah
Mansour El Hadary - 27 - 5'10 - G - El Jaish
Hassan Mohamed (Mizo Amin) - 26 - 6'3 - G - Al Rayyan
Abdularhman Al-Muftah - 22 - 5'11 - G - Al Ahli
Erfan Ali Saeed - 33 - 6'6 - F - El Jeish
Yehia Abdelhaleem - 21 - 6'9 - C /F- Al Rayyan
Mohd Yousuf Mohammed - 34 - 6'9 - C - El Jeish
Omer Salem - 33 - 6'9 - C - Al Gharafa 
Mohamed Abdelkawy - 21 - 5'10 - G - Al Rayyan
Nasser Al-Rayes - 22 - 6'10 - C - Cal Tech (USA)
Ave. Height - 6'4
Ave. Age - 26


Game Notes:
1) PHI: WILD THING
- When the going got tough for Gilas, it was Christian "Wild Thing" Standhardinger who stepped up and carried the slack. The 6'8 Fil-German scored 12 of his 16 points in the pivotal 3rd quarter for Gilas, sparking their game-changing run and leaving Iraq in the dust. Standhardinger has shown great grit and versatility so far in the tournament, drawing comparisons to former Gilas stalwart Marc Pingris, only 4 inches taller. If Christian can continue playing this well, Gilas will miss June Mar Fajardo's presence less and less.

Stats: 15.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 66.7 FG%.
vs IRQ: 16pts, 7rebs, 6/10 FGs.




2) PHI: ROMEO OH ROMEO
- Terrence Romeo continues to baffle opposing teams, and it's not because of his long flowing hair. Bro has been really awesome so far, leading Gilas in scoring and also being among the top 3 scorers in the entire competition. He had a slow start against IRQ, but he picked it up in the second half, scoring 14 of his 17 total points. Needless to say, he is the backbone of Gilas's second unit, and if he scores a ton again, it could be lights out early for the Qataris.

Stats: 21.5ppg, 4.0apg, 1.0spg, 3.5 triples per game, 48.3 FG%.




3) PHI: JAPETH LIKE IT'S HOT
- Japeth Aguilar has thrived in the absence of June Mar Fajardo. As the team's tallest player, he has matched up with opposing centers, but the Ginebra big man has shown great versatility and resiliency. He has not been scoring in bunches, yes, but he has been holding his own in terms of rebounding and, more importantly, rim protection. He leads the tournament in blocks so far, and if he can continue to be an effective last line of defense for Gilas, Qatar will find it tough to score around the basket.

Blocks: 3.5bpg - #1 in the tournament
vs CHN - 5
vs IRQ - 2

Stats: 6.0ppg, 5.0rpg, 3.5bpg, 55.6 FG%.




4) PHI: DEFENSIVE TENACITY
- In both their wins so far, Gilas has shown great defensive tenacity and toughness. They forced 15 turnovers agains China and followed that up forcing 17 against Iraq. All this while committing just 12.5 turnovers per game on their own front. Defense fuels the team's fastbreak attack, so it is tremendously crucial. It goes without saying that Gilas's defense needs to be on point if they want to have a convincing win over Qatar.

vs China - forced 15 TOs, committed 12 TOs, had +3 fastbreak pts
vs Iraq - forced 17 TOs, committed 13 TOs, had +8 fastbreak pts


5) QAT: THE YOUNG GUN
- With no Sammy Monroe and getting little production from their veterans, QAT has had to rely on young gun Abdulrahman Saad for their scoring. Saad is only 21 years old, but he already leads this team in scoring and is seen as the future of Qatari hoops. He is a veteran of their 3x3 team and draws a lot of comparisons to Terrence Romeo because of his flamboyant style of play. Saad can finish strong in the lane or shoot from long distance, and if he is allowed to have his way, QAT may be in a position to win by the game's end.

Stats: 21.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.0apg, 2.0spg, 47.1 FG%.
vs CHN: 19pts, 3rebs, 3asts, 2stls, 1 triple.

Add him to the list 🗒😌 #qatarairways #instalike #poster#fiba#asia#lefthand#ballislife

A post shared by Abdulrhman (@abdulrhman_saad.2) on Aug 10, 2017 at 4:36am PDT

6) QAT: TRANSITION WEAKNESS
- QAT had a lot of trouble against a bigger, younger, and quicker CHN team, and it showed in the box scores. Their fastbreak defense, in particular, was quite atrocious. QAT allowed CHN to outscore them in transition by 7 points, which they cannot afford to repeat against Gilas, who thrive on the break as well. If QAT wants to keep this game close and the point spread respectable, they need to tighten up their defensive screws, especially on the break.

vs CHN:
Fastbreak pts: CHN 16, QAT 9    

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#FIBAAsiaCup2017 Roundup Day 4

Images from FIBA.basketball.

Day 4 at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup saw the Philippines, Iran, and Jordan remain unbeaten while China bounced back against Qatar. Check out all the recaps and highlights from FIBA.com below.

CHINA over QATAR, 92-67
Box Scores.

Ailun Guo had a dominant individual performance to lead China past Qatar 92-67 to open Friday's action.

Guo knocked down five three-pointers on his way to 30 points, adding 4 rebounds and 4 assists, as China picked up their first win after an opening defeat to the Philippines. It was not until the second half the Chinese pulled away for good, momentarily falling behind midway in the second quarter before regrouping.

Abdulrahman Saad and Ali Saeed Erfan were the high men for Qatar with 19 and 18 points, respectively. Qatar continue to look for their first win in Group A at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017. 




PHILIPPINES over IRAQ, 84-68
Box Scores.

Philippines recovered from a slow first half to defeat Iraq 84-68 with a dominant third period.

A 26-7 third quarter run, whilst limiting Kevin Galloway's effectiveness, saw Philippines get the cushion they need to stay perfect atop of Group B at 2-0. 

Christian Karl Standhardinger had 16 points and 7 rebounds for the Philippines, whilst Terrence Romeo added 17 points and 4 assists.

Galloway did his best efforts to keep Iraq in it, finishing with 23 points (15 in the first half), 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks, but it would not be enough. 




JORDAN over INDIA61-54
Box Scores.

Jordan improved to 2-0 with a 61-54 victory over a much-improved India side.

After a mauling at the hands of Iran in their opener, India bounced back and managed to hang with Jordan the entirety of the game, though ultimately were plagued by turnovers, as Jordan registered 12 steals on the game.

Alawadi had 22 on 9 of 17 shooting and Ahmad Alhamarsheh had 13 rebounds to go with his 8 points for Jordan.

India were led by 17 points from Amjyot Singh Gill and Aravind Annadurai's 6-point, 10-rebound, 2-block effort. 




IRAN over SYRIA, 87-63
Box Scores.

 Iran registered 29 assists on their way to a 87-63 victory over Syria to stay undefeated in Group A.

Hamed Hadadi continued to make his case for one of the best passing big men in the game, finishing one assist shy of a triple double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists.

Syria struck first just 15 seconds into the game, but Mohammad Jamshidijafarabadi responded immediately with a three to give Iran a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way, pulling away in the second period to extend their lead to 20 by halftime.

Jamshidijafarabadi provided additional support on the ball sharing front, adding 9 assists of his own to go with 16 points, whilst Behnam Yakhchali led the scoring with 25 points on 9 of 13 shooting.

Micheal Madanly led Syria, who dropped to 0-2, with 22 points.




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#FIBAAsiaCup2017 Roundup Day 2

Image from FIBA.

The 2017 FIBA Asia Cup saw a couple of upsets on Day 2, highlighted by the Philippines' stirring win over China and Iraq's unexpected victory over undermanned Qatar. Check out all the recaps and highlights from FIBA.com below.

PHILIPPINES over CHINA, 98-87
Box Scores.

Two years after their infamous Final loss in Changsha-Hunan, the Philippines dealt sweet vengeance against perennial tormentors China.

The Philippines have had a painful history facing China at the continental level, and by all indications, today's game was supposed to be another notch in China's favor. Entering this matchup, China had won 6 of their last 9 meetings with the Philippines at the senior men's level.

The Chinese were bigger, deeper and had significantly longer preparation as they entered the Asia Cup 2017 in Beirut. With 2015 All-Star Five member Guo Ailun leading the way, China were heavily favored against Gilas Pilipinas, who were without prized naturalized player Andray Blatche and who recently lost key center June Mar Fajardo to injury.

As soon as the opening tip of today's pivotal encounter, though, the Philippines were in overdrive. Coach Chot Reyes's wards looked every bit like the favorites. They were throwing triple-teams at China, forcing turnovers, running in transition and hitting their three-point bombs.

The Filipinos channelled all the pent up frustration of the past and turned it into energy that they used to the hilt.

The duo of Jayson Castro and Terrence Romeo proved to be magical again for the Philippines, with Asia Cup newcomers Matthew Wright, Raymond Almazan and Christian Standhardinger also holding their own. Castro had 13 points and 7 assists, while Wright drained 2 triples en route to 12 points. Aguilar, for his part, was a defensive dynamo, recording 5 blocked shots.

This result pushed the Philippines as favorites to top Group B, and it will be interesting to see how they approach their next matches against the Qatar and Iraq.




IRAN over INDIA, 101-54
Box Scores.

Take a look back on the highlights as Iran sent a message to the rest of Group A with a dominant 101-54 performance over India.

Iran jumped out to a 21-point first quarter lead and never looked back, as they faced little resistance from the Indian side.

Hadadi led the victors with 20 points and 8 assists, whilst India were led by Amjyot Singh Gill's 10 points, as the only player in double figures.




IRAQ over QATAR, 75-66
Box Scores.

Iraq registered a huge victory, taking down Qatar 75-66 to put them in a strong position to advance to the knockout stages.

Despite a surge from Qatar in the fourth, Iraq stayed in control from start to finish, led by Kevin Galloway's 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals,

Abdulrahman Saad was Qatar's top performer with a game-high 23 points.




JORDAN over SYRIA, 68-66
Box Scores.

Jordan survived a furious late rally from Syria to prevail 68-66 in the final game of Day 2 at the FIBA Asia Cup.

Jordan appeared to be in control of the contest, before Syria cut a 20-point lead to single digits, even taking a lead momentarily. However, Jordan made plays when it counted to hold on for the win.

Sixteen points from Mousa Alawadi led Jordan, with a game-high 25 points from Tarek Aljabi proving not to be enough for Syria.




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#FIBAAsiaChallenge: Qatar prepare with training camp in Serbia

Abdulrahman Saad (QAT)

*This first appeared on FIBA.com.

The Qatari national team is in Serbia for a 10-day training camp as part of their preparations for the GCC Basketball Championship in Dubai from 28-2 September and the FIBA Asia Challenge from 9-18 September in Tehran, Iran.

The Al-Annabi coach Vasileios Fragkias has named his 23-man preliminary roster of the FIBA Asia Challenge, but only 16 of these players travelled with the team to Serbia.

Nine players from the 2015 Asia Championship squad are included in the Greek play-caller's 23-player list, that also includes veteran Malek Salem Abdullah and youngsters Omar Aql, Faisal Abuissa and Nasser Al-Rayes.

#FIBAAsi2015 Quarterfinals Micro-Previews

Only eight remain! Who will make it to the final four and who will fall out of contention? Let’s see!

The following are adapted from the Quarter-Finals Previews on FIBA.com (which I wrote :P).

Can Japan topple mighty Qatar?
Japan’s outlook: Japan have relied heavily on the dynamic duo of Joji Takeuchi and Makoto Hiejima in this tournament, and both are expected to continue spearheading the Nippon quintet’s charge in the Quarter-Finals. Veterans like Yuta Tabuse and Takatoshi Furukawa will need to step up, though, especially against Qatar’s vaunted backcourt. Coach Kenji Hasegawa’s relatively small frontline will be a concern, but if they can step up, Japan have a chance.