TIANJIN (FIBA Asia Championship): South East Asia champions Philippines got off to a winning start, beating Sri Lanka 115-31 in the Group A opener on Thursday.
The Philippines, who had finished ninth in the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship in Tokushima, scored the first eight points of the game and cruised along thereafter.
Sri Lanka, playing in the FIBA Asia Championship after a gap of 14 years – the island nation’s last appearance came in the 1995 edition at Seoul – struggled with their scoring rhythm and returned a woeful 19% in field attempts.
Philippines led 28-9 at the end of the first quarter, and only grew in strength as the game progressed.
Jared Dillinger led Philippines’ scoring with a game-high 21 points, and collected 11 rebounds.
Pauliasi Taulava came off the bench and collected a game-high 13 boards to go with his 15 points, as coach Joseller Guiao used 11 of his players for more than five minutes each.
Philippines play East Asian champions Japans on the morrow, while Sri Lanka take on last edition’s bronze medalists Korea.
S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia
The Philippines, who had finished ninth in the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship in Tokushima, scored the first eight points of the game and cruised along thereafter.
Sri Lanka, playing in the FIBA Asia Championship after a gap of 14 years – the island nation’s last appearance came in the 1995 edition at Seoul – struggled with their scoring rhythm and returned a woeful 19% in field attempts.
Philippines led 28-9 at the end of the first quarter, and only grew in strength as the game progressed.
Jared Dillinger led Philippines’ scoring with a game-high 21 points, and collected 11 rebounds.
Pauliasi Taulava came off the bench and collected a game-high 13 boards to go with his 15 points, as coach Joseller Guiao used 11 of his players for more than five minutes each.
Philippines play East Asian champions Japans on the morrow, while Sri Lanka take on last edition’s bronze medalists Korea.
S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia
