Powerade Team Pilipinas defeats Kuwait, 85-71

Powerade-Team Pilipinas turned back Kuwait, 85-71, as it formalized its entry to the knockout stage of the 25th FIBA Asia Championship here.

Cyrus Baguio showed the way for the Nationals with 14 points, Asi Taulava added 12 markers and 10 rebounds while Jared Dillinger and Kerby Raymundo had 10 each in the early morning win that hardly satisfied coach Yeng Guiao.

“I’m disappointed even if we won," said the RP coach. “This is our worst game. The energy level wasn’t there. I just didn’t see the effort."

Effort, the Nationals need a lot of as they face the loser of the China-Jordan match later in the day that pits two of the meet’s unbeaten teams.

Given the choice, Guiao said he’d rather face the Jordanians in the quarterfinals set Friday.

“Assume natin na Jordan na yan. Kasi kung Jordan ang manalo, against China pikit mata na lang tayo," said Guiao.

“Kaya kailangan mag-cheer tayo sa China," he added with a grin.

Jordan routed RP, 90-59, at the start of the Jones Cup tournament a month ago, a time when the Nationals have yet been playing at the level they are in today.

A win in the quarterfinals would move the Nationals into the semis and within reach of a berth in the 2010 World Basketball Championship in Turkey.

“Pahirap na nang pahirap ang laban," Guiao said. “Pero malay natin, kung ma-tsambahan naman natin sila."

With a 3-2 card, Powerade-Team Pilipinas clinched the no. 3 spot in Group E. Chinese-Taipei (1-3) and Japan (1-3) dispute the no. 4 berth in the same group, while Iran (4-0) and Korea (4-0) fight it out for the top two spots.

In Group F, China (4-0) and Jordan (4-0) are cinch to make it to the next round as the top two teams, followed by Lebanon (2-2), and a toss up between Kazakhstan and Qatar for the no. 4 spot.

The knockout stage will use the 1-vs-4, 2-vs- 3 format.

James Yap, Kerby Raymundo and Japeth Aguilar each had nine points for the Nationals, who didn’t really pull away until the last five minutes of the second period.

After holding to a 17-13 lead in the first 10 minutes, RP finished the second quarter strong behind an 8-2 run for a 40-29 lead at the half.

Aguilar capped off the scoring binge with a two-handed slam on transition off a Yap assist.

The Nationals led by as many as 19, 83-64, with 2:12 remaining.

The RP team dominated the boards, 45-29, and scored more points in the paint, 46-38, but struggled from the free throw line by making just 64 percent of its shots (14-of-22).

Guiao had scheduled an afternoon practice Wednesday and another one on Thursday (the competition’s rest day).

The scores:

Team Pilipinas 85 - Baguio 14, Taulava 12, Dillinger 10, Raymundo 10, Yap 9, Aguilar 9, Santos 9, Thoss 6, Norwood 3, Helterbrand 3, Miller 0.

Kuwait 71 - Alrabah 20, Ashkanani 20, Saeed 12, Fadhel 6, Alsaeid 4, Alhamidi 4, Alkhabbaz 3, Fahdel 2, Jamal 0.

Quarterscores: 17-13; 40-29; 60-51; 85-71