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BELGRADE, Serbia: Playing its sixth game in six days
and with only nine men in uniform, San Miguel-Pilipinas fell prey to
the Swisslion Takovo Lions, 86-79, in a game played in Vrsac, a
small town 80 kilometers northeast of Belgrade, to wind up its tough
Serbian tour with one win and three losses.
Coming off a 90-minute bus ride
and arriving at the arena barely 30 minutes before game time, the
Nationals started sluggishly, scoring the first four points but
quickly falling behind, 16-7, as the Lions hit four straight 3-point
shots.
Jimmy Alapag, Mark Caguioa,
Gabe Norwood, Kerby Raymundo and Asi Taulava tried to keep pace, but
the starting unit of veterans 6’3 point guard Milos Kasabasic,
6’5 shooting guard Vladimir Vlaskovic, 6’6 Nikolai Gacie,
6’9 power forward Danilo Mijanovic and 6’10 center Dalibor
Djapa would not budge.
Particularly unstoppable was
their top player Mijanovic, a strong left-handed inside player with
a deadly 3-point touch. Together with center Djapa, they hit six
3-pointers between them as each scored 16 points in the first half.
Only Caguioa and Mick Pennisi
made shots in the 1st quarter before Ranidel de Ocampo hit a
three-pointer as time expired, with the Nationals trailing 28-21.
The Nationals made a little run
at the start of the second quarter as Jayjay Helterbrand and Renren
Ritualo hit a couple of threes, but again Mianovic and Djapa came to
the rescue to thwart the Nationals’ rally.
Hampered by the absence of Tony
de la Cruz, Danny Seigle and Dondon Hontiveros, who twisted his
ankle in the last game, the Nationals failed to mount pressing
defenses, falling into zones instead to preserve some energy.
Unfortunately the Lions waxed hot from deep, with Vlaskovic and
Kasabasic each hitting two triples to hike their lead to 57-42 at
halftime.
At the break, the Nationals
talked about not giving up, as there were 20 minutes left in the
game. Adjustments were made in their zone and ball screen defense to
take away their foes’ 3-point shots. The adjustments worked, as
the Lions suddenly could not find the basket.
Scores:
Swisslion Takovo 86–Mijanovic
26, Kasabasic 19, Djapa 16, Vlaskovic 14, Gacie 6, Mikic 5,
Anastasov 0, Keri 0, Bugarin 0, Malovic 0.
SMC-Pilipinas 79–Pennisi 15,
Taulava 14, Helterbrand 14, Caguioa 12, De Ocampo 9, Ritualo 7,
Raymundo 6, Norwood 2, Alapag 0.
Quarters: 21-28; 42-57; 59-65;
79-86
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