Gilas Pilipinas repeats over Guam for 2-0 start in FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers

Different venues, same results. 

Gilas Pilipinas reasserted its mastery over Guam, pulling off a 95-71 victory to end the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Monday in front of a home crowd at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym. 

The Filipinos burst out of the gates, but world No. 81 Guam mounted a second-half rally behind Jericho Cruz that briefly put the hosts on edge.

Still, the Philippines held firm in the endgame to stay unbeaten in the qualifiers at 2-0, while Guam slipped to 0-2 in Group A.

In their first matchup, Gilas defeated Guam, 87-46.

Justin Brownlee and Dwight Ramos once again formed a lethal duo with the naturalized player pouring 20 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and two steals and the veteran guard posting 19 markers and seven boards.

A 50-36 lead at the halftime gave the Filipinos enough cushion against the upset-hungry Guam, which would then stage a third-quarter rally led by San Miguel Beermen guard Cruz. 

The 35-year-old Cruz silenced boos from the Pinoy crowd, shooting a triple before splitting his free throws to trim Guam's deficit to a single digit, 53-44. Cruz, though, would be forced to return to the bench after incurring his fourth foul with still a quarter left to play. 

But Guam continued to fight back despite the absence of its main gunner as Takumi Simon and Tai Wesley fueled a 5-0 run to open the fourth. 

That, however, didn't take the momentum away from the Philippines as Ramos and Brownlee provided the finishing blow to send the Philippines to back-to-back lopsided wins. 

The win, though, came on the same day Japeth Aguilar, one of the longtime members of the national team, announced his retirement from Gilas Pilipinas duty just before the tip-off. 

He finished with three points in almost 11 minutes of action. 

For Guam, Guam exploded for 27 points while Simon chipped in 23 markers, including seven three-pointers. 

The scores:

Gilas Pilipinas 95 - Brownlee 20, Ramos 19, Quiambao 12, Newsome 10, Millora-Brown 9, Fajardo 7, Thompson 5, Edu 4, Tamayo 4, Aguilar 3, Perez 2, Abarrientos 0.

Guam 71 - Cruz 27, Simon 23, Galloway 10, Wesley 5, Blas 4, Africano 2, Johnson 0, Calvo 0, Hechanova 0, Borja 0, Osborn 0, Fegurgur 0.

Quarters: 32-15, 50-36, 72-55, 95-71.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News