2013 FIBA Asia Championship: Kazakhstan leads from start to finish in rout of Thailand

Kazakhstan took care of business against Thailand, 81-67, in Group D play of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, early Friday morning, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Anton Pomonarev top-scored in the game with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Naturalized point guard Jerry Jonson pitched in 15 points and eight assists, while Dmitriy Klimov added 12 markers and eight caroms.

Kazakhstan led by double-digits for most of the game, but were especially locked in offensively during the first and third quarters, and held a 69-47 lead with 10 minutes to go. A late rally by Thailand gave them a scare, but their wide margin was too much to overcome for the offensively-challenged Thailand team.

Kazakhstan came out hot, aided by triples from Rustam Murzagaliyev and Rustam Yargaliyev to build a 20-9 lead. Thailand, struggling against their taller opponents, salvaged the first period as Kannawat Lertlaoukul was fouled at the last second and made two charities, 26-15.

Darunpong Apiromvilaichai got busy around the rim, carrying the load for Thailand in the second quarter. Kazakhstan wasn't exactly clicking, but were content to match as Jerry Jonson and Murzagaliyev connected from deep to keep some cushion, 35-20.

Thailand strung together some stops and managed an 10-2 run against their complacent foes, capped by a transition hoop by Attaporn Lertmalaiporn, 37-30, with under three minutes remaining. But Kazakhstan recovered at the right time as Dmitriy Klimov finished on the break, soon followed by another Murzagaliyev trey, to maintain a 42-33 halftime lead.

Kazakhstan shot 14-of-33 (42 percent) at halftime, a few shades below Thailand's 12-of-26 (46 percent) clip. Thailand also held a 16-6 margin in points in the paint, but missed all their nine tries from long range. Kazakhstan went 6-of-16 (38 percent) from beyond the arc.

When play resumed, Wattana Suttisin scored Thailand's first five to trim the lead to eight, 46-38. But he couldn't sustain it as Kazakhstan finally overwhelmed them with a 23-9 run behind the efforts of Klimov, Dmitriy Lapchenko and Anton Pomonarev, showing good patience and off the ball movement. Only Chanachon Klahan offered some resistance, nailing two treys in the last two minutes, as Kazakhstan led 69-47 entering the final period.

Klahan and Darunpong Apiromvilaichai struck from deep midway through the fourth, taking advantage of a handful of Kazakhstan's miscues to trim the lead with a 12-3 rally, 72-61, on a short jumper by Danai Kongum with under five minutes to play.

But Kazakhstan reasserted themselves inside, as a driving Pomonarev and-one doused the fire, kicking off a 7-2 run, 79-63, that finally held Thailand down with two minutes remaining.

Kazakhstan finished shooting 29-of-67 (43 percent) against Thailand's 24-of-52 (46 percent) clip. They also registered a 48-21 rebounding margin and a 22-13 lead in turnover points.

Darunpong Apiromvilaichai was the sole Thai in double-digit scoring with 16 points.

In an earlier game, Group D rivals Bahrain outlasted India, winning 82-80 in overtime. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

Kazakhstan 81 - Ponomarev 21, Jonson 15, Murzagaliyev 13, Klimov 12, Yargaliyev 7, Lapchenko 6, Dvirnyy 4, Zhigulin 3, Sultanov 0, Bazhkin 0

Thailand 67 - Darunpong Apiromvilaichai 16, Darongpan Apiromvilaichai 9, Lertlaokul 9, Klaewnarong 8, Tongsri 6, Klahan 6, Kongkum 6, Suttisin 3, Dasom 2, Ghogar 2, Samerjai 0, Lertmalaiporn 0

Quarter scoring: 26-15, 42-33, 69-47, 81-67