FIBA Asia U16: PHL trips Iraq, arranges Final 4 duel with South Korea

Pilipinas-Energen scored an 82-69 victory over Iraq Wednesday night in the 2nd FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship at the Khanh Hoa Sports Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Tomas Gabriel Ramos scored 15 points to lead Team Pilipinas' balanced scoring as the Olsen Racela-coached squad arranged a semifinals date with Asian rival South Korea on Thursday. South Korea earned a semis berth after drubbing Indonesia, 107-48. Defending champion China cruised to a 100-19 win over Saudi Arabia and will face Japan, a 71-52 conqueror of Lebanon, in the other Final Four match-up. The top two teams that emerge from the competition will qualify for the FIBA U17 World Championship in Lithuania in 2012. Ramos got plenty of scoring support from Michael Jay Javelosa, Reznar Henry Asilum and Kyles Jefferson Lao as the three combined for 32 points. Energen opened with a 13-2 run and controlled the entire match until Iraq made a final push bridging the final minutes of the third quarter and at the start of the fourth. Ismael Ismael pushed Iraq within four, 62-58, with barely two minutes gone in the final canto. Pilipinas-Energen then used a 14-8 scoring exchange to enjoy a 76-66 edge inside the final two minutes and held on to complete the win. Ahmed Razzaq paced Iraq with 20 points while Karar Hamzah and Bahaa Sabri added 19 and 12 markers each. — JVP, GMA News