TOKUSHIMA — San Miguel-Pilipinas completed a three-game sweep of its consolation round group Thursday, breezing past Kuwait, 89-58, to arrange a return match with dethroned China for 9th place Saturday in the 24th Fiba-Asia Championship at the ASTY Tokushima Gym.
Kelly Williams and Jimmy Alapag returned to the active roster to play 24 and 14 minutes, respectively, signaling their readiness for the battle ahead.
Mark Caguioa, who hyper-extended his right shoulder in the game with Jordan Monday, sat out the game, however, and is unlikely to suit up for the return bout with the Chinese, who bowed to the Nationals, 79-74, Sunday.
“I would love to go after them again,” said national coach Chot Reyes, referring to the upcoming encounter with China, the two teams’ last game in the tournament where they shared the same fate.
Both teams had the material to make it all the way to the final, but ran into trouble with tough Middle Eastern opponents questionably bracketed with them in the preliminary round and are now reduced to playing for the spoils instead of the title.
The rankings should prove meaningless in this case unless the organizing Fiba-Asia abandons an experimental grouping practice where only the top four finishers are distributed to each of the four groups and the rest of the 16 spots are filled via the drawing of lots.
The “S-format” was used in previous Fiba-Asia tournaments.
The quirk of the draw brought together in one bracket China, Iran, Jordan — three of the top four Asian Games finishers – and the PBA-backed Philippine team, a coincidence loudly questioned by Mario Palma, Jordan’s Brazilian mentor, and now by Al Khadra Fahmi, the Kuwait head coach.
The Nationals had beaten Kuwait twice before in tune-up matches at the Sta. Lucia East Mall and the Caruncho Sports Center before the two teams flew to Tokushima, and they lost no time imposing their will again.
SMC-RP opened a 23-10 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, storming to a 34-point advantage in the fourth quarter for their second straight hassle-free triumph.
Fil-Am Gabe Norwood, sporting a new Mohawk haircut done by Kelly Williams, according to teammate Asi Taulava, had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, with five rebounds and five assists, reprising his 23-point performance against India Wednesday.
“Norwood put us in this position and we’re looking forward to meeting China and beating them again,” Reyes said. “We’re saving our best for last.”
Renren Ritualo added 13 points with three 3-pointers and Eric Menk had 10 points. Williams grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, while Alapag issued three assists.
Taulava joined Reyes in the post-game interview and entertained the press with his geniality and good humor.
“We’re bored. That’s how bored we are,” he said when asked how Norwood and Williams found time to do their hair.
Pointed out that he seemed to be in a good mood, Taulava, the team’s self-appointed comic, said: “This is my job, to keep everybody smiling.”
