PHNOM PENH — Inspired by Gilas Pilipinas’ memorable Southeast Asian Games victory just a month ago, the Filipinos turned back the Indonesians, 11.5, in men’s 3x3 basketball Friday that officially launched the country's ambitious golden bid in the 12th ASEAN Para Games at the Elephant Hall A here.
Prolific Kenneth Tapia and burly Alfie Cabanog took matters into their own hands and led the way with five and four points, respectively, in turning back the Indonesians, who forced a 5-5 deadlock only to melt against the Filipinos’ lockdown defense late.
The Filipinos, whose other players were Clifford Trocino, JR Escalante and Rene Macabenguil, were clashing with the host Cambodians, defending champion Thais, and the Malaysians at press time hoping to deliver the country’s first medal — hopefully a gold — in this biennial meet.
Interestingly, these same 3x3 cast will also see action in the 5x5 unfolding Sunday at this exact same venue, where they hope to reprise the role of Gilas Pilipinas’ golden reign in the SEA Games last month.
“Hopefully, mag gold din kami,” said team captain Macabenguil, whose squad delivered a silver in 3x3 and 5x5 in Surakarta last year.
Surakarta quadruple gold medalist Sander Severino, meanwhile, will spearhead the league of extraordinary gentlemen and women eyeing to replicate their 10-gold harvest a year ago as rapid chess unfurls Saturday at the Royal University.
On the same day, the weeklong sporting spectacle will be officially unveiled in the grand opening ceremony that will see a colorful parade of the 11 participating nations including the proud Philippine team battling each other for glory in 12 disciplines.
And then action will get into full swing Monday, including centerpiece track and field and medal-rich swimming at the sprawling Morodok Techo National Stadium.
There, the Filipinos will have 23 athletes waging war at the track and 12 tankers plunging into action at the pool with hopes of eclipsing, if not replicating, their harvest of six and 12 mints, respectively, last time.
Over at the track, a whopping 12 golds will be staked right on Day One and the 23-strong Philippine delegation is optimistic it could gain a fair share of the haul there.
“We’re ready to go,” said Philippine track and field coach Joel Deriada.
Grizzled veterans Gary Bejino and Ernie Gawilan get the honor collecting the country’s first aquatics gold as they see action in the 400-meter freestyle S6 and S7 classes, respectively.
“We just want to do our best and try to perform the same way, if not better, than last year,” Philippine swimming mentor Tony Ong, for his part, said.
Earlier, Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo, PSC commissioner and chef-de-mission Walter Torres and deputy chef-de-mission Irene Soriano and a select, small group of Filipino athletes represented the country in the traditional flag ceremony.