Jordan 5 rips Saudi Arabia to tie Gilas on top of FIBA Champs Cup

ASU-Jordan subdued Al Ittihad-Saudi Arabia, 79-69, Monday, to forge a tie for the lead with Pilipinas-Smart Gilas in the 2011 FIBA Asia Champions Cup at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. With Gilas coach Rajko Toroman watching Team Jordan’s execution, the Jordanians showed their balance firepower. Mousa Alawadi finished with 26 points while Sam Daghles added 14. Wesam Al Sous and Ryan Kelly Forehan contributed 11 points each and combined for six. ASU-Jordan’s victory didn’t come easy though. The Saudis even took a 42-40 lead before the Jordanians unloaded a 12-0 spurt to finally gain control. “Saudi Arabia is a great team, they have veteran players.But we used our speed and pushed it to the limit," said ASU-Jordan coach Fredrick Oniga. Darren Keely had 26 points, six rebounds and seven assists while Adil Aljuhani finished with 19 markers for the Saudis, who remained winless in three games. Saudi Arabia coach Serbian Ninad Krazdic blasted the scheduling process as his team played for the third straight day. “This is inhuman," said Krazdic, who once served as an assistant coach to Toroman. In the second game, CJ Giles played a brilliant, all-around game and towed Duhok-Iran to the win column following an 88-76 win over Westports KL Dragons-Malaysia. Giles, a former candidate for naturalization of the Pilipinas-Smart Gilas, had 28 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks to send the Dragons crashing to their second straight loss. Chris Ayer had 22 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Dragons, who lost to Pilipinas-Smart Gilas in its opening game. — RJ/KBK, GMA News