Japan defeats Powerade Team Pilipinas

Powerade-Team Pilipinas squandered a big 19-point second quarter lead and dropped a heartbreaking 87-85 loss to Japan in the 31st William Jones Cup at the Hsinchuang gym Tuesday in Taipei.

Although obviously hurting, coach Yeng Guiao tried to make a brave front during the post game conference.

“Ang emphasis talaga is to learn as much as we can against them," Guiao said. “We know naman in our hearts na kaya natin silang talunin pag dating sa Tianjin (FIBA Asia men's championship)."

But after watching Japan scuttle the double-digit RP team edge with its outside shooting, and seeing Jayjay Helterbrand’s dying-second attempt swatted away, even Guiao had to admit victory, as much as the lessons learned from the loss, would have been preferred.

“Mas maganda kung panalo syempre," he said.

Osama Kuraishi, the Japanese coach, said through an interpreter that he had urged his players to “go hard for the victory."

“This is a big win for us," he said.

The Nationals trailed, 86-82 but Jared Dillinger drained a way-out 3-point shot to cut Japan’s lead to one with four seconds left.

Helterbrand gave up a foul on Shinsuke Kashiwagi who was 7-for-7 from the line up to that point. The 5-10 playmaker split his charities and Guiao called time, designing a play with Helterbrand inbounding from mid-court.

The Japanese broke up the first throw-in and the RP team again called time.

Helterbrand returned for the throw-in, bounced the ball off Kashiwagi’s back, picked it up, and took aim from just outside the 3-point arc, only to have the ball swatted away by Kashiwagi before it could be launched.

“We were going for a win, a three-point shot," said Guiao. “Na-fumble lang."

Kashiwagi had 12 points behind center Kosuk Takeuchi, who had 24 points, and the Japanese used their outside shooting and aggressive defense to come back from a 36-14 deficit early in the second and wrest control.

Japeth Aguilar, in his finest performance so far, scored 17 points for Team RP while Willie Miller added 14.

The Nationals, who ended a two-game losing start by beating Kazakhstan Monday, were hurt by their turnovers (24 against Japan’s 15) and their inability to get as often to the free throw line (8 of 9) where Japan shot 24 of 33.

With a 1-3 record, the RP cagers, who lost James Yap late in the game after the Purefoods hotshot was hit on the nape during a scramble, goes up against Lebanon and Fadih El-Khatib at 7 p.m. Wednesday. -

The scores:

Japan 87 - Takeuchi 24, Kashiwagi 12, Takeda 9, Ishizaki 9, Amino 7, Orimo 7, Sakurai 7, Igarashi 5, Ito 4, Okada 3.

Philippines 85 – Aguilar 17, Miller 14, Santos 10, Thoss 8, Dillinger 8, Raymundo 5, Yap 5, De Ocampo 5, Norwood 5, Baguio 4, Helterbrand 2, Taulava 2.

Quarterscores: 12-27; 36-40; 61-61; 87-85