 Photo from noynoying.com By Angelica Abello
Coming from a basketball high upon finishing second best and earning a ticket to the World Cup in the recently concluded 27th FIBA Asia Championship, Pinoy basketball aficionados are yet to rest for the opening of the Philippine Basketball Association’s Governors Cup 2013.
Moved to a later date to give way for the training of Gilas Pilipinas and FIBA Asia Championship, the PBA Governors’ Cup is set to kick off on August 14, 2013, Wednesday at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Air21 Express tangles with Global Port Batang Pier in the opening game at 5:15pm followed by the defending champion Rain or Shine Elasto Painters taking on the their last year’s finals rival San Mig Coffee Mixers at 7:30pm.
 Marc Pingris hugs Gabe Norwood after their victory against South Korea, 86-79. The Philippines will move to the finals and qualified in the 2014 FIBA World. Photo courtesy by Nuki Sabio By Karl Cedrick G. Basco
As the cliché goes, hitting two birds with one stone, the Philippines will march on the FIBA Championship, the first time since 1973, plus a ticket in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
Gilas Pilipinas managed to keep their composure intact in the last three minutes of the game to pull a pulsating victory against their bitter rival South Korea, 86-79, and booked a seat in the 2014 FIBA World in their semi-final series of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship at the jam packed Mall of Asia Arena tonight.
Ranidel de Ocampo drained an off-the-board basket and a triple with less than two minutes left in the pay-off period to regain the lead, 81-77, while Team Captain Jimmy Alapag buried another trey followed by a shot of Marc Pingris to snatch the win against the Korea-based squad.
 Marcus Douthit battles out under the basket in their match against Japan. The Philippines defeated Japan, 90-71. Photo courtesy of FIBA Asia's Nuki Sabio. By Karl Cedrick Basco
Jeff Chan drained back-to-back triple in the opening minute of the third period to establish a commanding 16-point lead and the Gilas Pilipinas never looked back.
The Philippines unraveled relentless offense all-throughout the game to thwart Japan in a dominating 90-71 victory in their first game in the second round of 2013 FIBA Asia Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena yesterday evening.
Naturalized player Marcus Douthit paced the team registering game-high 19 point with 10 boards while Chan added 16 markers, 12 from downtown, and recovered from a heart-breaking loss against Chinese-Taipei.
Gilas showed dominance in the second half rallying a 22-7 run highlighted a three-point basket of L.A. Tenorio in 4:19 mark and a strong drive to the hoop of Marc Pingris and built a 25-point margin, 68-43.
Japheth Aguilar drew the crowd roaring as he scored a two-handed slam courtesy of Ranidel de Ocampo’s back pass with less than two minutes remaining in the third canto, 73-49.
 Larry Fonacier launches a three pointer in their match against Chinese-Taipei. The Philippines knelt to Taiwan, 79-84. | Photo by KC Cruz, GMA News By Angelica Abello
It is not how you start the game but how you end it.
Gilas Pilipinas squandered their 13-point lead and ran out of gas in the pay-off period to suffer its first loss at the hands of Chinese-Taipei, 84-79, in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena yesterday evening.
Philippines’ Larry Fonacier sizzled with his beyond the arc shots in the third quarter, firing a back-to-back threes to give Gilas a huge 68-55 lead at the end of the third.
However, Chinese-Taipei drilled a barrage of threes led by Lu Cheng-Ju to destroy the momentum of Gilas and tied the game at 72-all with 5:11 left in the final canto.
 Jason Castro goes for a strong drive in their match against Jordan. Gilas Pilipinas defeated Jordan, 77-71 | Photo courtesy of Yahoo Philippines By Kathleen Vicho
No jitters anymore.
Gilas Pilipinas leaned on their balance offense and defense in the last two quarters to upend the much taller Jordan team, 77-71, in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship at the MOA Arena yesterday evening.
Down by five coming into the third canto, Gilas outscored the Jordanians 24-9, through the defensive efforts of Gabe Norwood including couples of offensive rebounds while Jeff Chan and Jason Castro led the offense highlighted by fast breaks and three-point baskets to steal the driver seat, 57-47.
 Larry Fonacier fires a jumper in their game against Saudi Arabia. The Philippines defeated Saudi, 78-66. | Photo by Paul Ryan Tan By Karl Cedrick G. Basco
It may not be a convincing victory but a win is a win.
Gilas Pilipinas found their rhythm going in the second half to trounce Saudi Arabia, 78-66, in their opening game in 2013 FIBA Asia Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena yesterday evening.
L.A. Tenorio and Larry Fonacier paced the Philippine-based squad banking 12 points apiece while naturalized player Marcus Douthit added 10 markers with 11 rebounds.
Gilas started the pay-off period with a 9-4 salvo to establish the biggest lead in the game at 16, 66-50, highlighted by a three-pointer of Fonacier but Saudi Arabia unleashed three treys to cut its deficit into seven, 59-66.
Saudi Arabia tried to keep the Philippines at striking distance as they cut the lead into three early in the third period with a bucket of freethrow shots, 46-43, before Marc Pingris and Tenorio led an 11-3 run to end the quarter at 57-46.
Ayman Almuwallad spearheaded the Middle-East contingent tallying game-high 18 markers while Mohammed Almarwani finished with 12 points.
 Photo by Paul Ryan Tan By Angelica Abello
The Tigers are yet to find a way to beat the Tamaraws.
The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers yielded against the undefeated Far Eastern University Tamaraws, 67-77, in the UAAP Season 76 Men's Basketball Tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena last July 21.
The Tigers, who played without Team Captain Jeric Teng, drew strength from their Cameroonian Center Karim Abdul registering 21 points and 11 rebounds while Kevin Ferrer also stepped up finishing 18 markers with seven boards.
FEU, led by their guards, Terrence Romeo, Mike Tolomia and RR Garcia, fired bunches of three-point baskets in the second half to establish a 10-point lead in the 6:57 mark of the pay off period, 68-58.
Clark Bautista stopped the bleeding with his own three but Garcia and Tolomia scored six straight points to extend the lead to 13 four minutes left in the game, 74-61.
UST started strong building a five-point lead in the second frame, 25-20, capped by back-to-back baskets of Aljon Mariano however former UAAP MVP Garcia pulled the Tamaraws and clinched the driver seat at the end of the first half, 39-37.
 Photo courtesy of TomasinoWeb By Karl Cedrick Basco
The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers’ late rally was not enough to pull another upset victory against the defending champion Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles and dropped its last game of the first round, 57-61, in the UAAP Season 76 Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum today.
Aljon Mariano led the team tallying 16 markers with nine rebounds however failed to score in the pay-off period. Eduardo Daquioag and Clark Bautista added 33 combined points 15 of which came in the final canto.
Ateneo started the game on fire blasting an 11-0 run highlighted by Keifer Ravena’s three-point basket and JP Erram’s jumper to establish a commanding 13-point lead, 17-4.
 Photo by Paul Ryan Tan By Karl Cedrick Basco
The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers came big in the second half to trounce the cellar-dweller University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 79-69, in the UAAP Season 76 Men's Basketball Tournament at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum Wednesday.
Aljon Mariano spearheaded the Tigers banking game-high 18 points while Kevin Ferrer, Karim Abdul, and Clark Bautista conspired for 42 markers.
UST unraveled 13-4 run mid of the third period to pull away against UP, establishing a 10-point advantage, 48-38.
The Fighting Maroons threatened to comeback but the Tigers fired a 9-1 salvo down the stretch that sealed the deal for them, 79-66. UST improved its record to 4-2 and keeps solo second behind the unbeaten FEU.
Samuel Marata and Kyles Lao led the Diliman-based squad tallying for 16 and 9 points, respectively. UP registered its sixth loss of the season and yet to find a win.
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