Philippine cagers vent ire on Japan, 113-80

MANILA, Philippines —  Though going home without a medal, Team Philippines remained on track for a fifth place finish in the Asian Games men’s basketball cagefest after a 113-80 blowout of an undermanned Japan squad at the GBK Basket Hall in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday.

Christian Standhardinger and Jordan Clarkson reprised their prolific scoring perfromances, leading the Filipinos in scoring with 27 and 22 points, respectively. 

Reeling from Monday's loss to nemesis Korea that cost them a possible podium finish, the Nationals took a while to get their bearings against a side that rotated only eight players.

Taichi Nakamura provided the steady hand for the Akatsuki Five, matching the Filipinos’ offensive intensity for the first two quarters. Naoya Kumagae and big man Avi Schafer added to the scoring effort, filling the big void left by the departure of their four teammates Takuya Hashimoto, Keita Imamura, Yuya Nagayoshi and Takuma Sato.

All but two players from Japan scored in double digits. Three of its players fouled out when in the final 39 seconds of the game.

A week ago, the Japanese delegation sent four of their cagers home after they “spent the night in a hotel with women.” This happened after their resounding win over the the Qataris. They went on win one more game but was decimated by Iran in the quarterfinals.

An efficient night by Standhardinger defined the victory, which was also the first for Clarkson as a member of the national team. The Philippine Basketball Association rookie made 10 of 13 shots from the field while missing only one of his four attempts from the charity stripe. He also adorned his line with 13 boards and three steals.

Paul Lee, whose final shot against the China would have put them in a better quarterfinals scenario, again had an impressive night off the bench with 17 points.

The Philippines can formally improve their seventh-place finishin the 2014 edition of the Asiad when they take on the winner of the Syria-Indonesia tussle. The winner of that clash will end up at fifth place.

A fifth place finish would be the best showing by the Filipinos in 16 years. The Nationals emerged fourth in the 2002 Asiad in Busan, South Korea.