The Philippines began group play at the 2015 Fiba Asia Championships ignominiously as the tournament heavyweights crashed to a 75-73 loss to unfancied Palestine.
The “Gilas Pilipinas” were led by a dominant effort from naturalised former NBA player Andray Blatche, who was a force for the team at last year’s Fiba World Cup and finished on Wednesday with 21 points and 12 rebounds. He was outshone however by Palestine’s Jamal Abu Shamala, a former player at the collegiate level in the US who also had stints in the NBA’s Developmental League, producing 26 points and 15 rebounds in the first ever tournament game for the Palestinians.
The Philippines raced to a 27-12 lead after the first quarter but faded badly, as the veteran team brought to the tournament struggled especially from three, where they shot 23.3 per cent (7-of-30) as a team.
The Filipino side for the 2015 championships is much changed from the team that reached the finals and won silver at the 2013 tournament. Centres June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar are hurt, leading the team to recall 42-year-old Asi Tauvala (6ft 10in) for size. Meanwhile stalwarts like Jimmy Alapag and Larry Fonacier have aged out of the team, while returnees like Marc Pingris and Ranidel de Ocampo are now both nearly 34. The Philippines, as it is, are fielding one of the oldest teams in the tournament.
One of the dynamic young talents injected into the team, Terrence Romeo of Global Port Batang Pier, slogged through a 4-of-13 shooting performance for 11 points on Wednesday to be their second highest scorer.
The Philippines talented backcourt pairing of Gabe Norwood (three points, one assist) and Jayson Castro (10 points, one assist on 3-of-8 shooting) was generally muted. Calvin Abuela (27 years old) and Matthew Ganuelas (25), two of the Philippines’ younger players, also struggled to combine for seven points on 2-for-6 shooting. Donald Hontiveros, a 38-year-old guard brought on as captain in his fourth stint with the side, was just 1-of-6 from the field.
Sani Sakakini, a 6ft 8in power forward who plays for Sarriyet Ramallah in the West Bank, muscled in 22 points and 14 rebounds and his brother Salim Sakakini, a centre with De La Salle Jerusalem, added 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Palestine outrebounded the Philippines 58-53 and 23-17 on the offensive boards. The hoops-mad Philippines last won Asia’s continental basketball title in 1985.
In other early action Iran routed Japan by 38 points, 86-48, as the 2007, 2009 and 2013 champions received 15 points from Oshin Sahakian and 13 from Mohammad Hassanzadeh. Former NBA player Hamed Haddadi added nine points on 4-of-6 shooting.
South Korea also cruised to a 27-point win over Jordan, Cho Sung-min scoring 19 thanks to a 5-of-7 shooting performance from three. Captain Yang Dong-geun added 17, shooting 5-of-6 from long distance.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, scored a 37-point win, beating Kuwait 87-50.
Other matches on Wednesday included India defeating Malaysia 102-73; and China routing Singapore 91-42.
Gulf champions Qatar later play Kazakhstan and West Asia championship winners Lebanon tackle Chinese Taipei.
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