Team Pilipinas lost to Jordan, 90-59

The Powerade Team Pilipinas crumbled in the midst of Jordan’s second-quarter breakaway and never recovered in a disappointing 90-59 loss to open its campaign in the 31st William Jones Cup.

The Nationals, who started James Yap, Asi Taulava, Gabe Norwood, Kerby Raymundo and Willie Miller, stayed in the game in the first 10 minutes, trailing 17-15, with the promise of a second quarter blast up in the air at the Hsinchuang Gymnasium in Taipei.

But then came off the bench 6-4 point guard Rasheim Wright, the same player who terrorized Chot Reyes’ RP team during the 24th FIBA Asia Olympic qualifier in Tokushima, Japan two years ago.

With Wright at the helm, the Jordanians cut the Nationals’ defense in shreds, setting screens that set up their outside shots clearly breaking Team Pilipinas’ man-to-man defense.

By the time the Jordanians were through with their demolition job, it was already 37-15 with three minutes remaining in the half.

Jared Dillinger ended the scoring drought for the Nationals with a free throw.

The Nationals failed to pick up their game from there, trailing by as many as 79-45 halfway into the fourth quarter.

Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand and Cyrus Baguio, and San Miguel Beer’s Mick Pennisi, with little rest following their Game 7 battle in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup Finals, arrived Saturday afternoon – along with Powerade-RP team manager JB Baylon and PBA media bureau chief Willy Marcial – but didn’t suit up.

They are expected to be inserted in the 12-man lineup, which is allowed by tournament rules, for Sunday’s 7:00 p.m. match against host Taiwan.

In other opening day games, Lebanon, with the veteran Fadih El-Khatib pouring 32 points, crushed Taiwan-B, 93-61, while South Korea, which is bracketed with the Philippines, Japan and Sri Lanka in Group A in the FIBA Asia tournament, edged Kazakhstan, 75-73, despite getting outrebounded, 42-32.

“We have to learn how to beat this team if we hope to make the Turkey tournament (World Championship)," said RP team coach Yeng Guiao, who hinted of a major adjustment when the team returns.

“Between now and August 6, we have to do something drastic," he said. “We have a lot of adjustments to make, we need to learn to play with size better, find a way to contend with bigger teams."

Jordan coach Mario Palma was magnanimous in victory.

“This is just the first game," he said, seated beside Guiao in the press room for the post-game interview. “I don’t think this was a normal result."