Gilas 3x3 aces keep fire burning

MANILA, Philippines —  The country’s 3x3 aces are keeping the fire burning for Gilas Pilipinas in the 20th Asian Games.

Thrust into the spotlight after Gilas Men fell from the throne and Gilas Women took the exits in 5-on-5, the half-court ballers went to work and roared to the semifinals in their side of the competition last night in Nagoya.

The gritty men’s crew of Nic Cabañero, Manuel Pablo, David Dungo and Koji Buenaflor stayed poised under heavy threat from Chinese Taipei to escape with a 21-19 quarterfinal thriller at the Kinjo Futo Station Square.

Meanwhile, their female counterparts Ka Kenna, Amyah Espanol, Kacey dela Rosa and Maria Pasilang didn’t give their Last-8 opponent Singapore a chance to pose danger and ran away with a 22-12 romp.

The 3-a-side bets continue their mission in today’s Final Four with the men’s taking on Korea and the women’s facing Southeast Asian rival Thailand, for a place in the gold medal matches.

The Gilas 3x3 bets are left to carry the fight for Philippine basketball that’s still hurting from the bungled bid in the full-court hostilities.

ilas Men, battling without its main man Justin Brownlee, bowed out early last Sept. 14, missing the knockout rounds altogether after logging a win against two losses in group play.

Gilas Women picked up the cudgels and swept its group assignments on its way to the quarters and a chance to reach the semifinals for the first time in the Continental conclave.

But the cagebelles hit the end of the road yesterday, yielding to Chinese-Taipei in a one-sided quarters duel, 71-83.

Gilas 3x3 then took over the flag-carrying duties.

Though failing to deliver the killer blows after racing to a 16-8 cushion, Cabañero and Co. found ways to get the victory the hard way against the rallying Taiwanese.

With Chinese-Taipei forcing a 19-19 stalemate, Buenaflor put the Philippines on the hill with a clutch putback then Pablo delivered the final nail after the Taiwanese flubbed three attempts to steal the W from the two-point arc.

Dela Rosa and her teammates threw their full weight on the Singaporeans when they hit the court later, going on a 16-8 start to set the tone.