Gilas Pilipinas Men's Justin Brownlee. Photo courtesy: FIBA Basketball
MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas kicked off its FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers campaign on a winning note.
The national team demolished Guam, 87-46, in first of their two encounters in a four-day span on Friday.
The Tim Cone-coached squad, No. 37 in the world, had to brace San Miguel standout Jericho Cruz, who powered No. 81 Guam with a 13-point explosion in the first period that kept his team tied, 17-17, to enter the second frame.
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However, Justin Brownlee and the rest of the Nationals had other plans. He sparked Gilas' 16-4 run to end the first half with a 40-29 lead, defining the pacing of the match.
Gilas Men then unloaded a dominant 18-0 run that led to 24-7 output in the third quarter, pulling away much further from their Pacific rivals.
All Gilas players scored in the game, with Brownlee leading the squad with 22 points, two rebounds, and two assists.
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Dwight Ramos was the other cog in double-digit scoring with 10 points and six rebounds, while big men June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu chipped in eight points each.
Guam's Cruz, on the other hand, finished with 17 markers, slowing down in the second half.