MANILA – A first quarter avalanche was all the Italy Azzurri needed to flatten Gilas Pilipinas, 108-62, in the 2019 FIBA World Cup last night at the Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center in Foshan, China.
The manhandling was a huge blow to the national men’s basketball team’s hopes of reaching the next round with Serbia and Angola still remaining on its schedule in Group D.
The closest the Philippines came in the game was at 2-2 courtesy of a basket from Andy Mark Barroca before the Azzurri went on with its uncontested outside hits to establish a 37-8 edge.
The onslaught of the Italians continued in the second quarter with the Gilas unable to keep in step on defense before Jaymar Perez came up with late shots for a 62-24 halftime score.
The Italians widened the lead further in the second half. They reached their largest at 52 points before Perez and Andray Blatche came up with late hits for the Gilas Pilipinas to trim the final margin.
Luigi Datome and Amadeo della Valle tallied 17 points apiece. Danilo Gallinari fired four triples and finished with 16 markers and fellow NBA player Marco Bellinelli had nine for the No. 13 ranked Azzurri.
Blatche and Perez top-scored with 15 points apiece, while June Mar Fajardo and Robert Bolick Jr. contributed nine and six markers, respectively, for the national men’s basketball team./PN
