GILAS Pilipinas 3x3 missed the ticket to the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Cup in Singapore after losing two of its games in pool play Friday at the Singapore Sports Hub OCBC Square.
The Filipinos began their campaign on the wrong foot after losing to Iran in their first outing, 14-11, where they unfortunately squandered a four-point lead inside the final two minutes after getting into foul trouble early.
They later suffered a 21-18 loss to fifth seed Qatar in the nightcap to bow out of contention and finished winless in Pool D with a 0-2 standings.
Iran (2-0) and Qatar (1-1) gained the two quarterfinal berths in the same pool.
The loss failed to duplicate Gilas' surprising fourth place finish in the same meet last year in which the Filipinos pulled off a mighty upset of top seed Mongolia in the quarterfinals to advance.
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Almond Vosotros carried the scoring for the Filipinos in the game against Qatar with nine points and teamed up with Jorey Napoles to overhaul an 8-15 deficit and tie the match at 18 in the final 39 seconds.
But 6-foot-8 Qatari Souley Ndour finished off Gilas by scoring the final three points, including the game-clinching free throw.
Ndour led the 3x3 powerhouse team with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Aside from Vosotros and Napoles, also with Gilas 3x3 are Samboy De Leon and Brandon Bates, with Lester Del Rosario as head coach. (RG)
The scores:
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First Game
Iran (14) - Girgoorian 7, Vahedi 5. Arabzadeh 1, Yousof Vand 1.
Philippines (11) - Bates 5, Vosotros 4, Napoles 2.
Second Game
Qatar (21) - Ndour 13, Abbasher 5, Muslic 3.
Philippines (18) - Vosotros 9, De Leon 5, Napoles 3, Bates 1.
