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Hot start fizzles vs Iran, as Gilas ends FIBA World Cup winless

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/09/08/20190908-gilasjapeth.jpg"/><figcaption>Japeth Aguilar and Gilas Pilipinas could do little to stop Iran, when Hamed Haddadi and his team started to consistently hit from long distance. FIBA.basketball</figcaption></figure></div>BEIJING—Gilas Pilipinas will return to the Philippines without a single victory after succumbing to Iran 95-75 in their last game of the 2019 FIBA World Cup at Wukesong Arena here on Sunday night.The team had high hopes that it could at least salvage a measure of pride against its Asian rivals, but instead Iran only piled on to Gilas Pilipinas&#x27; woes in the tournament.The Philippines finished the World Cup with a 0-5 win-loss record, and will thus be one of the four lowest-ranked teams in the tournament.Its final placing will be determined at the end of the classification phase.&quot;Of course, we&#x27;re disappointed,&quot; said head coach Yeng Guiao after the game. &quot;Of course, may ano, meron tayong mga lessons na matutunan dito sa experience natin.&quot;&quot;And at the same time, I guess it&#x27;s time to re-evaluate our position,&quot; he added. &quot;For me, personally, I&#x27;m sure I will have a conversation with our bosses, and we will exchange notes.&quot;The Philippines actually had a promising start, as it finally began nailing its 3-pointers in the opening frame after struggling with its shooting all throughout the tournament. Gilas made six of its 11 triples in the first period — two courtesy of Gabe Norwood — and was down by just one point, 25-24, with 37.5 seconds left after Andray Blatche made one of two free throws.Disaster struck in the final seconds of the frame, however, as Behnam Yakhchalidehkordi nailed a triple, and a turnover by Paul Lee led to a buzzer-beating bucket by Samad Nikkhah Baharami. Iran was in control after the first, 30-24.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/09/08/20190908-gilasnorwood.jpg"/><figcaption>Gabe Norwood and Gilas Pilipinas found their range early but, like in previous games, they found themselves behind and unable to rally. FIBA.basketball</figcaption></figure></div>Buckets by CJ Perez kept the Filipinos close in the second period, with the rookie guard side-stepping his defenders in transition to put Gilas within three points, 34-31.But a 3-pointer from Sajjad Mashayekhi restored order for Iran, and Hamed Haddadi continued to have his way inside. Gilas&#x27; inability to defend without fouling cost the Filipinos, as Iran made continuous trips to the line in the second quarter. A split at the line by Nikkhah Bahrami gave Iran its largest lead of the first half, 48-33.Gilas&#x27; final possession of the second quarter was emblematic of its problems. Blatche attempted to go one-on-one against Haddadi, but lost control of the ball as he made his move. The Philippines was lucky not to give up another bucket at the buzzer and entered the break down 48-34.Iran pulled away further in the third period thanks to its outside shooting. Haddadi, Mohammad Jamshidi, and Yakhchalidehkordi all nailed 3-pointers to put Iran ahead, 58-31. Blatche&#x27;s playmaking, leading to buckets for June Mar Fajardo and Mark Barroca, gave Gilas signs of life, but turnovers led to easy buckets for Aaron Geramipoor and Rasoul Mozafarivanani.Mozafarivanani&#x27;s lay-up in transition restored a 23-point lead, 64-41, with 4:10 to play in the third, and the Philippines — much like in its previous games — would not be able to climb their way out of the deficit.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/09/08/20190908-gilasjunemar.jpg"/><figcaption>Head coach Yeng Guiao said that at times his team didn&#x27;t know how the referees would call the game. FIBA.basketball</figcaption></figure></div>&quot;It&#x27;s just not enough. We need some consistency with our outside shooting,&quot; Guiao lamented. &quot;When our outside shooting is on, we&#x27;re in the game. When it&#x27;s not, we&#x27;re out of the game. And there&#x27;s really nowhere else for us to look for our scoring except our transition game and probably our outside shots.&quot;&quot;So we tried hard to fight it out inside, but all the teams are just bigger than we are, with quality big men. Yun ang difference siguro, yung mga big men, quality talaga sa mga ibang teams,&quot; he added.Iran&#x27;s 20-point win, combined with China&#x27;s 86-73 loss to Nigeria in Group M, sent the Iranians to the Olympics as the best Asian team. Nigeria also secured a berth to Tokyo as the best African team in the tournament.Robert Bolick fought to the very end, nailing 3-pointers and scoring over Haddadi on his way to 15 points. Blatche had 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, but incurred two technical fouls with 5:23 to play and was tossed from the game. June Mar Fajardo had 10 points. The Philippines shot 44% from the field, including 41% from beyond the arc. But they were clobbered on the boards by a bigger Iran team, 43-30, and Iran scored 16 second-chance points after grabbing 15 offensive rebounds.Haddadi made 8 of his 12 attempts to finish with 19 points, while Nikkhah Bahrami added 17 markers, and Jamshidi had 16 points. Iran finished with a 2-3 win-loss record, but their superior point differential allowed them to claim the Olympic berth over China. For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

Another day, another blowout loss by the Philippines, which finished the tournament with a 0-5 record.

Another day, another blowout loss by the Philippines, which finished the tournament with a 0-5 record.

Hot start fizzles vs Iran, as Gilas ends FIBA World Cup winless

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Hot start fizzles vs Iran, as Gilas ends FIBA World Cup winless

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 08, 2019 09:54 PM PHT

|

Updated Sep 09, 2019 12:42 AM PHT

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2019 FIBA World Cup

Gilas Pilipinas

Yeng Guiao

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