Batang Gilas caps journey to World

DAVE Ildefonso of the Philippines flexes his muscles during their FIBA U18 Asian Championship game against China at the Stadium 29 in Nonthaburi, Thailand. FIBA.BASKETBALL

Batang Gilas failed to finish its campaign on a high note as it suffered a 57-76 setback to China in the bronze medal match of the FIBA U18 Asian Championship Saturday at the Stadium 29 in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

Still licking the wounds created by their 43-77 downfall to Australia on Friday, the national youth squad started flat anew with as it stared at huge 14-27 deficit against vengeful Chinese in the opening period.

They never recovered from there as China led by as many as 23 points to avenge its 19-point setback, 63-73, in their first encounter, a win that gave the Filipinos the top spot in Group B and a quarterfinal duel with Bahrain.

Kai Sotto and AJ Edu were the lone soldiers fighting with 16 and 14 points, respectively, on top of eight rebounds apiece.

No other Filipino barged into double digits for Batang Gilas, which missed the podium after starting the tournament on fire with four straight victories.

Jie Xu dropped 18 points, five rebounds and seven assists to lead China’s triumphant revenge win.

By just merely making it to the semis, the Philippine youth squad already ended the country’s 39-year absence in the FIBA U19 World Cup.

Together with bronze medalist China and finalists Australia and New Zealand, the Philippines will represent FIBA Asia-Oceania zone in the world-class tourney.

The venue, however, has yet to be announced.

Batang Gilas made it happen after taking care of business in the quarterfinals against Bahrain, 67-52, on Thursday night.

The last time the Philippine youth team made it to the world stage of the age-group category was in 1979 when Arturo Valenzona steered it to the Asian Basketball Confederation Youth Championship in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Legends Hector Calma, Yoyoy Villamin, Chito Loyzaga, Joel Banal and JB Yango spearheaded the youth squad before formally entering the Philippine Basketball Association.

They posted wins over Panama and Egypt to wrap up the contest at 10th in the 12-tear field with a 2-6 win-loss mark.

The United States, which was bannered by future National Basketball Association stars like James Worthy, Sam Perkins and Far Lever, ruled the event with a perfect 8-0 card.

Now, Batang Gilas has a chance to match or even surpass that finish, an accomplishment that came at the heels of its World Cup appearance in the U17 age group where it finished 13th out of 16 countries following a pair of massive upsets of Egypt and New Zealand.

From all indications, Batang Gilas will stay relevant in world youth basketball, especially with 16-year old Sotto still eligible in the U17, U18 and U19 age group until 2021.