RP-India 3-on-3 basketball finals set in Asian Beach Games

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines forged a title duel with India in the 3-on-3 beach basketball event of the 1st Asian Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia. The Smart-Pilipinas Team defeated Japan, 33-21, Saturday at the Tanjung Benoa Beach to enter the finals assuring the country of a silver medal. The Philippines and India enter the gold medal match after sweeping their respective games in the preliminary round. The Philippines topped Group B while India dominated Group A. “We’re happy to be in the finals and hopefully, we can win the gold medal," said RP coach Brit Reroma, who got 20 points from Joel Tolentino in leading Philippines past Japan. Over at Shindu beach, national pool mainstay Nikita Dacer of General Santos City clocked in 1:03:40 to finish fifth while Kiefer Ticao was 14th (1:11:04) among 23 entries in men’s marathon swimming. Syria’s Saleh Mohammad won the race in 1:0:23 followed by China’s Xu Wenchao (1:01:55) and Vietnam’s Tu Chau Ba Anh (1:01:57). In the women’s division, Marvie Borja, a member of the UST swimming team, placed 14th (1:21:03) while Paula Abigail Vega of University of Cebu was 15th overall (1:21:44). Hongkong’s Natasha Terri Tang Wing Yung registered 1:05:29 to pocket the gold. Chinese Li Hong posted 1:05:30 for the silver while teammate Zheng Jing submitted 1:05:31 for the bronze. “I think our athletes did pretty well today and I’m proud of them," said team manager Jose Antonio Miguel Aboitiz. “We have a bright future in marathon swimming. Our athletes just have to train very hard and I’ll be there to support them all the way." “We expect the boys to improve in the 10km, especially Nikita," said swimming association Mark Joseph, who is also the deputy secretary-general of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). In the volleyball competitions at Grand Bali Hotel beach, Rhovyl Verayo and Jonrey Sasing of Philippines-1 bowed to Quoc Nguyen Trong and Vinh Nguyen Thanh of Vietnam-2, 21-19, 15-21, 13-15 to finish 14th while Benjaylo Labide and Angelo Espiritu of Philippines-2 absorbed a 21-18, 18-21, 8-15 loss to Mohammed Amer Abdulla and Ismael Hassan Al Shieeb of Qatar to settle for 36th place among 42 teams in the men’s division. Michelle Carolino and Suzanne Roces of Philippines-1 fell to Thi Cam Hong Phan and Loan Huyunh Do Hong of Vietnam, 21-13, 21-13 to place 12th and Nerissa Bautista and Jusabelle Brillo of Philippines-2 succumbed to Yokbeth Manisala Kapasiang and Yudhani Rahayu Ni Putu of Indonesia, 21-17, 19-21, 11-15 to land in 16th spot among 24 teams in the women’s division. In wrestling, Luis Ansag lost to Japanese Takahisha Oda, 3-0, in the men’s 75kg repechage while Francis Villanueva was eliminated by Muhammad Taseen of Pakistan in the 85+kg repechage at the Tanjung Benoa beach. – GMANews.TV