2013 FIBA Asia Championship: Bahrain snares second place in Group D with beatdown of Thailand

(Updated 8:26pm) After two games that ended in overtime, Bahrain was happy to come away with an easy one that ended in regulation.

Bahrain ran away with an 86-62 thumping that kept Thailand winless, claiming second place in Group D of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Thailand finished without a victory (0-3), while Bahrain (2-1) wound up behind undefeated Kazakhstan (3-0). The last of their group to advance was India (1-2).

Team Bahrain found themselves trailing 13-12 with 4:10 left in the first quarter, but a Mohamed Kawaid slam kick-started an 8-0 run that put them ahead for good, though it was eventually quelled by makes from Wutipong Dasom and Darunpong Apiromvilaichai. Still, it was good enough to put Bahrain up 21-18, after the first 10 minutes.

Another eight unanswered by Bahrain started the second period, for an 11-point buffer, 29-18, 7:57 left in the first half. However, persistent play by the Thais prevented things from getting out of hand, keeping themselves within single digits thanks to Kannawat Lertlaokul's makes from the field and the line, 43-35, at the break.

An and-one opportunity by Apiromvilaichai could have made it a five-point affair, but he missed the free throw, 45-39, early in the third. However, after a Lertlaokul deuce got the Bahrain lead down from 11 to a more manageable seven, 51-44, Bahrain went on an 11-2 tear to end the period, to boast of a 16-point advantage with just a quarter left, 62-46.

Ahmed Ismaeel made it a 20-point cushion with a deuce, less than a minute into the final canto, 66-46, and it was all Bahrain from that moment on. Reserve Subah Azzam made it a high of 25-markers, 72-47 with 6:49 on the clock, but Wacharapong Tongsri briefly got it below 20, 73-54, before Bahrain romped the rest of the way.

Mohamed Alderazi led all scorers with 21 markers on 8-of-14 shooting, including a 3-of-6 clip from downtown. He also added three rebounds, three assists and a steal. CJ Giles put together 18 points and 18 rebounds, 10 of his markers from the foul line, while Mohamed Kawaid showed off his versatility with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Attaporn Lertmalaiporn and Kannawat Lertlaoukul led the Thailand effort with 11 points apiece.

Bahrain shot 49 percent from the field and held the Thais to a 29 percent clip. They also boasted of an impressive 30-14 difference in points in the paint.  - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

Bahrain 86 - Alderazi 21, Giles 18, M. Kawaid 12, Ismaeel 11, Altawash 11, Akber 9, Azzam 4, Y. Kawais 0, Malabes 0

Thailand 62 - Lertmalaiporn 11, Lertlaokul 11, Klaewnarong 9, Darunpong Apiromvilaichai 6, Tongsri 6, Dasom 5, Darongpan Apiromvilaichai 5, Ghogar 4, Klahan 3, Kongkum 2, Samerjai 0

Quarter scoring: 21-18, 43-35, 62-46, 86-62