Nokia RP U-18 bags 5th place

SANA’A, Yemen—The Nokia RP U-18 team unleashed all of its pent-up
emotions to rout host Yemen, 97-48, on Friday for fifth place, the
highest finish for the team in 15 years in the Fiba Asia U-18
Championship.
The Filipinos, backed by Nokia Philippines and TAO Corporation, also
bettered on its previous standing of seventh place in Tehran, although
the losing the key game against Chinese-Taipei in the quarterfinals
continues to nag head coach Eric Altamirano.
“We were just one quarter away from the semifinals. Chinese-Taipei had
a key six to zero run at end of the third and another at the start of
the fourth and that did us in. Before that, we felt that the game was
very winnable,”said Altamirano.
Chinese-Taipei beat Iran, 64-60, to bag third place and join China and
Korea in the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship to be played in Latvia
next year.  The Chinese routed Korea, 103-80, to regain the title
after it placed only fifth in Tehran in 2008.
 “No excuses from us, particularly from me. Although the Philippines’
pride as a basketball-loving nation may constrain it from accepting
anything less than ultimate victory, we as a team humbly offer this
modest achievement to all Filipinos for their judgment and
appreciation,”he added as the team was also able to improve on the
seventh place posted in 2008 in Iran. The U-16 core of the team placed
fourth in the Fiba Asia U-16 Championship in Johor Bahru last year.
With five players scoring in double figures, the Philippines took
command early by scoring the first nine points and never looked back
to exact vengeance on Yemen, which beat the Filipinos, 76-69, in the
second round.
 “It was a different day and a different game altogether. We just want
to leave everything on the floor,” Altamirano said. “We have had a
nice crowd supporting us here. We wanted to leave Sana’A with some
happy memories for them.”
Gelo Alolino topscored for the Filipinos with 18 points followed by 15
each from Kiefer Ravena and Raphael Banal and 10 each from Mike
Tolomia and Jeth Troy Rosario.(pr)