Batang Gilas ousts China, reaches U-18 quarters

MANILA, Philippines — Batang Gilas slew powerhouse China, 73-63, last night to clinch an automatic quarterfinals slot and move a step closer to achieving its World Cup bid in the 2018 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship at the Studio 29 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Sean Dave Ildefonso paced the Filipinos with 18 points while the dreaded frontcourt tandem of AJ Edu and Kai Sotto stood tall  anew by combining for 24 points, 24 rebounds and nine blocks that shut the door on the equally tall Chinese.

The win completed a three-game sweep of Group B, counting their 92-49 rout of United Arab Emirates in the second game Monday and 75-53 conquest of Lebanon Sunday. The  Nationals moved straight to the quarters where they will face either Bahrain or the loser of the South Korea-Chinese Taipei Group D showdown played at press time.

It was an impressive victory for the Philippines, which dictated the pace anchored on the fearsome duo of the 6-10 Edu, a Fil-Nigerian suiting up for the University of Toledo in Ohio, United States, and the 7-1 Sotto.

The Chinese have been unbeaten in the juniors’ division, being an 11-time champion of this biennial tournament that started in the 1970s.

Batang Gilas came to this tournament eyeing just one of the four available berths to the World Cup set at a still unspecified venue next year.

But after this impressive triumph, the Filipinos can dream of winning their seventh championship and first in almost four decades after claiming their last crown in 1982 when the country hosted it.

Guard Dalph Panopio, a full-blooded Filipino who grew up in Italy where he declined offers to join the Italian youth squad for a chance to represent the land of his ancestors, had 12 points, eight boards, four assists and a steal.

The Philippines gets a one-day rest as it awaits its quarters foe.