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JAKARTA, Indonesia: The wake up call has been alarmed
for Harbour Centre-RP team after absorbing a stunning 79-74 loss to
SM Britama-Indonesia Thursday night in a setback that could serve
its campaign in good stead later on in the Seaba Champions Cup
qualifying tournament here.
The nationals groped in form
connecting from the outside as the Indons applied the zone against
them while imports Julius Nwosu and Vidal Massiah were outplayed by
the duo of Kueth Duany and Ian Crosswhite in their own personal
match ups.
Heartbreaking as it was, coach
Junel Baculi said the loss is a learning experience for the Harbour
Centre-backed RP five, which he expects to play with a lot more
passion and urgency if and when, the Filipinos meet the Indonesians
again in the championship game.
“At least now they will play
with urgency na hindi ko pa nakikita sa kanila. In a way, maganda na
rin `yung pagkatalo dahil medyo na-lessen `yung pressure. Ang masama
kung sa championship nangyari sa atin ito. Ngayon we still have a
chance to regroup and correct our mistakes,” said Baculi.
“Parang one step backwards, two
steps forward ang nangyari sa atin.” Nwosu, the Nigerian national
who also played as import in the PBA, shared the same belief of his
coach. “I don’t think they can beat us twice in a row,” were
Nwosu’s bold statements.
Giving the Filipinos’ campaign
in the meet serving as qualifier of the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup is
the expected arrival of basketball godfather Mikee Romero and PBL
chairman Gil Angeles in this capital city of Indonesia later in the
day.
For a rematch in the finals to
happen, the Indonesians and Filipinos will have to hurdle their
respective assignments at the close of the preliminary round today.
The Filipinos tackle winless
Vietnam in the curtain raiser at 6 p.m. while Indonesia takes on
Petronas-Malaysia in the 8 p.m. main game.
Indonesia is currently on top
with a 2-0 card while Harbour-RP and Petronas-Malaysia, a 122-37
winner over Vietnam the other night, carry similar 1-1 records.
The Malaysians need to win by at
least 10 points against the Indonesia to make the finals. They lost
to the Filipinos in the opener, 87-72.
“We will give them [Malaysians]
a good fight,” said Indonesian coach Fictor Roring, stressing
he’s not looking forward yet at meeting the Filipinos in the
finals.
“We’ll take it one game at a
time,” said the 35-year-old former Indonesian national player.
Duany, a former teammate of NBA
star Carmelo Anthony with the Syracuse Orangemen that won the 2003
US NCAA title, finished with 19 points and 9 rebounds while
Crosswhite, son of one-time Australian national team member Perry,
had 23 and 16.
Scores:
SM Britama-Indonesia 79—Crosswhite
23, Duany 19, Achmad 10, Gunawan 10, Sumargo 8, Wijaya 3, Sondakh 2,
Jati 2, Sunarko 2, Situmorang 0, Prihantono 0, Sitepu 0.
Harbour Centre-RP 74—Nwosu 18,
Fernandez 14, Cruz 12, Massiah 11, Intal 3, Magpayo 2, Belga 2, F.
Rodriguez 2, L Rodriguez 0.
Quarters: 16-22; 43-36; 61-57;
79-74.
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