Gilas Pilipinas Youth didn’t waste time in disposing of Vietnam in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers in Pampanga, giving first-time head coach LA Tenorio a winning start.
Gilas Pilipinas Youth gifted rookie coach LA Tenorio quite a triumphant debut.
This as the Batang Gilas drubbed Vietnam, 113-62, in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center on Saturday, May 24.
Travis Pascual led Gilas’ balanced scoring with 16 points, which he spiked with four rebounds, an assist, and four steals.
Prince Cariño also had 16 points he paired with 12 rebounds. Joel Pascual added 14 points, three rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block for the Gilas squad, whose players all made at least a field goal.
After a testy start, defense started clicking for Gilas en route to a 32-13 second period against the visiting team.
The home team took a commanding 61-33 entering the break and never looked back.
“We’ve adjusted our defense lang po because of the transition plays kami ng Vietnam,” said Pascual, whose team had 24 steals and and scored 41 fastbreak points.
And while they wasted the ball one too many times after that, allowing the Vietnamese to convert on the other end, the Nationals built more than enough cushion to withstand any threat.
Before they knew it, the Filipino dribblers were already up by 51, 107-56, on Jhello Lumague’s breakaway layup with two minutes and 22 seconds left to play. Gilas will gun for a 2-0 start in the qualifiers as it takes on Thailand on Sunday, May 25.
Meanwhile, Hoang Minh Khang Nguyen paced Vietnam with 13 points, while Le Cao Nguyen Nguyen wound up with 12 points and nine rebounds.