RP beats Bahrain, 99-80, advances to FIBA q'finals

Games Friday (All times local - Tehran) 2 pm - San Miguel-RP vs. Lebanon 6:30 pm - Kazakhstan vs. Qatar 8:45 pm - India vs. Syria The San Miguel-RP Team has finally entered the win column with a 99-80 win over Bahrain's Al Muharraq on Wednesday to enter the quarterfinals of the 18th FIBA Asia Champions Cup being held at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran. Danny Seigle played with an injured right ankle and scored 20 points while three more teammates produced double digit productions in scoring, according to a statement released on Thursday afternoon. The victory was the first in four assignments for the Filipino team but enough to make them the third and last qualifier from Group B to Friday's quarterfinals. RP coach Chot Reyes said the team won because Bahrain lacked a seven-foot import that could have dominated players of Iran, Kazakhstan, and Syria. Bahrain's six-foot-seven A.M. Akintunde had 21 points and 12 rebounds, but fellow African reinforcement, 6'-10" S.B. Edeghe, only had 13 points and five rebounds against the defense anchored on Asi Taulava and Rico Villanueva. Thursday is a rest day for the tournament, but not for the Nationals who have squeezed in a tuneup game with the Iran National team that has a 7'-5" center and two 6'-11"s. Reyes said it is part of his team's buildup for next week's SEABA tournament and July's FIBA Asia Men's championship. "We may be meeting the same Iranian team in the FIBA Asia so better to get a feel of them now," he said. Asi scored 18 points while Ren Ren Ritualo also chipped in 18 markers off the bench. The scores San Miguel-RP (99): Seigle 20, Taulava 18, Ritualo 18, Caguioa 11, Hontiveros 9, De Ocampo 8, Alapag 8, Villanueva 4, Helterbrand 2, Raymundo 1, Dela Cruz 0 Bahrain (80): Akintunde 21, Alderazi 19, Edeghe 13, Al Tawash 12, Mohamed 8, Ebrahim 5, Al Doy 2, M. Ali 0, Ali 0, Thaqafi 0 Quarter scores: 20-17, 43-38, 79-62, 99-82

-GMANews.TV