The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Robert Andaya
Even in sports, there’s always the first time.
First time is always something worth remembering.
In the case of Gilas Pilipinas and multi-titled coach Tim Cone, it’s their first win over the New Zealand Tall Blacks in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City
And the Filipinos did it after four tries and eight long years.
“It’s a tough one. They (Tall Blacks) are really good. But we found a way to win, “ said Cone after Gilas Pilipinas’ morale-boosting 93-89 victory over New Zealand in front of a wildly-cheering home crowd.
“They are incredibly physical and I think that’s the no. 1 thing we have to battle through,” said Cone, one of the country’s winningest coaches.
“So to overcome that and to find a way to win was really special. Special because of our home court, our home crowd, and the people watching. There were a lot of attention on the game and our game were, you know, pressured to win. And our players found a way. And I’m proud of them.”
Three-time PBA Best Import awardee and naturalized player Justin Brownlee and NBA prospect Kai Sotto have a lot to do with it.
Brownlee finished with a double-double performance with a game-high 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in 37 minutes of play.
The 7-3 Sotto played one of his best games in the Gilas uniform as he came through with a near triple-double of 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.
Barangay Ginebra superstar Scottie Thompson finished with 12 points, six assists and four rebounds while Chris Newsome and Dwight Ramos added 11 points each.
PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo had six points and three rebounds.
Former NBA player Corey Webster led New Zealand with 25 points, but only had two in the final quarter. He did finish on a 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while adding five assists.
Former Converge importThomas Vodanovich and Sam Waardenburg added 19 points each.
Waardenburg also had seven rebounds for Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell.
The Filipinos looked supremely confident even against the more-experienced Tall Blacks, unleashing a back-breaking 16-0 run to turn a 56-60 deficit into a 72-60 advantage.
Gilas are now 3-0 in Group B while the Tall Blacks fell to 2-1.
The scores:
Gilas Pilipinas (93)—Brownlee 26, Sotto 19, Thompson 12, Newsome 11, Ramos 11, Fajardo 6, Perez 3, Oftana 3, Tamayo 2, Aguilar 0.
New Zealand (89)—Webster 25, Vodanovich 19, Waardenburg 19, Britt 8, Le’afa 6, Brown 5, Harris 3, Cameron 2, Harrison 2.
Quarterscores: 20-22; 45-45; 72-63; 93-89.