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FIBA Asia Under-16: Batang Gilas boys comfort dejected Japanese player

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/tvpatrol/04/04/kai.jpg"/><figcaption>Kai Sotto and his Batang Gilas teammates comfort Chikara Tanaka after the Japanese guard missed the potential game-tying basket in their game on Friday. Courtesy of the FIBA website</figcaption></figure></div>After escaping with a close victory over Japan on Friday, members of the Philippine junior men’s basketball team whooped it up on the playing court, many of them jumping for joy and embracing one another.But the dramatic win and the ensuing jubilation didn’t stop the Filipinos from demonstrating sportsmanship.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/06/18/fiba-asia-under-16-kais-20-20-powers-pinoys-past-japan-into-semis">Kai Sotto’s 20-20 powers Pinoys past Japan, into semis</a></li></ul>After Chikara Tanaka missed the potential equalizer at the buzzer that gave Batang Gilas a 72-70 win at Foshan Lingnan Mingzhu Gymnasium in China on Friday, the hot-shooting Japanese guard fell on his back with hands on his face and weeping.It took a while for Tanaka to get up, some of his teammates trying to comfort him as the rest of the Japan squad joined in the post-game handshake with Batang Gilas.Seeing Tanaka in tears at the far right-hand corner of the court, Kai Sotto and his teammates approached their dejected opponent, gave him a tap and applauded him for his efforts.Down 69-59, Tanaka carried his team on his back, scoring 11 straight points to tie the game 70-all, before RC Calimag made the game-winning basket with 2.3 seconds left.Tanaka had a chance at an equalizer but his shot bounced off the rim.<div>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</div>

The dramatic win and the ensuing jubilation didn’t stop the Filipinos from demonstrating sportsmanship.

The dramatic win and the ensuing jubilation didn’t stop the Filipinos from demonstrating sportsmanship.