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Powerade-Team Pilipinas off to a rousing debut


MANILA, Philippines – The Powerade-Team Pilipinas showed enough promise in its first public appearance together, routing the Motolite-Australia Hoopdreamz, 87-63, in the first of their two-game exhibition series Friday night before a sizeable crowd at the Araneta Coliseum. Playing with cohesiveness while moving the ball well, the Nationals missed their first five shots but eventually settled down against a taller but overmatched Australian selection, using a 16-0 run at the start of the second quarter to rip the game apart. Seeking to maximize their ceiling while concealing their lack of outside shooting and quickness, the Australians defended feverishly with the zone and went to the low post with deliberate intent. The ploy worked in the initial minutes. They led 9-6 as the Nationals struggled to keep the jitters in check while keeping a wary eye on rugby-playing 7-foot Samoan native Patrick Pilae. But James Yap opened the floodgates with a three-point shot from the left wing late in the first quarter and the SEABA-bound RP team threaded the waters without fear, taking a 43-24 advantage at halftime and coasting the rest of the way. Rookie Jared Dillinger gave Team RP its biggest lead, 85-67, on a two-handed slam with 2:21 to go. “I’m a little surprised we had it this easy. We expected a closer game," said national coach Yeng Guiao. “I’m sure they’d be able to make some adjustments and play better Sunday." Pilae, a 240-pound rugby banger from the Samoan Islands in the Pacific Ocean, was brought along by the Australians, billeted at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, to provide intimidating presence underneath. Neither Asi Taulava nor Mick Pennisi, who is of Australian descent, cringed at his sight, however. Backing up none, Taulava and Pennisi traded a few words and a couple of shots with Pilae at the post, bringing a howl from the good-sized crowd that included Australian Ambassador Rod Smith. Emerging unscathed from their first public appearance, members of Guiao’s squad seized the opportunity to showcase their individual talent, from Gabe Norwood’s swooping dunk to Cyrus Baguio’s spin move. The second of the tuneup games for the RP team headed for the FIBA-Asia World Championship qualifier in China in August is at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, with the Nationals having claimed half of the P150,000 incentive money put up by Phoenix Petroleum. In the high school curtain-raiser, NCAA junior champion San Sebastian, led by Marco Cam with 17 points and 18 rebounds, edged UAAP counterpart Ateneo in a fiercely-contested exhibition, 93-88. –GMANews.TV
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