MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas fell short to Cambodia, composed of three naturalized players from the United States, 20-15, in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games men’s 3×3 basketball finals on Sunday afternoon in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Almond Vosotros, Joseph Eriobu, Joseph Sedurifa and Lervin Flores tried their best to keep in step with Cambodia but the latter got timely hits from their American players to clinch their first-ever SEA Games basketball gold.
Phoenix, Arizona-native Darrin Dorsey, Birmingham, Alabama-native Brandon Peterson and Oakland, California-native Sayeed Pridgett were the ones who played for the Cambodian national team.
Gilas Pilipinas fell behind early in the match following conversions from Dorsey, Peterson and Pridgett before clawing its way back to within 13-16 behind inside conversions from Flores and Eriobu.
The Cambodians slowly pulled away with a free throw and an outside connection. Vosotros and Sedurifa tried to rally the Philippines back in the match but their outside hits failed to find the target.
On their way to the championship, Gilas Pilipinas pulled off a stunning 21-19 win over last year’s gold medal winner Thailand behind back-to-back outside conversions from Sedurifa.
Gilas Pilipinas women’s 3×3 team, meanwhile, also settled for a silver medal finish following a 21-16 defeat at the hands of the hot-shooting Vietnam at the Morodok Techo Elephant Hall.
After going down early in the gold medal match, Gilas Pilipinas women rallied to within 14-16 after connections from Afril Bernardino and Janine Pontejos before having a chance to tie the score but Jack Animam misfired her free throws.
The Vietnamese took advantage of this as they connected from the outside to widen the advantage. Animam committed more miscues in their possession for Gilas Pilipinas women to hinder their chances to come back in the contest.
Gilas Pilipinas women, a back-to-back SEA Games gold medal winner prior to the defeat, escaped with a 21-20 win over Cambodia, composed of four naturalized American players, in the semifinals courtesy of a game-winner by Bernardino./PN
