The Gilas Pilipinas Youth ruled the FIBA U16 after defeating Indonesian team in the finals with a score of 70-40 on Friday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in Pampanga.
Gilas maintained the pace with their onslaught early in the second half, ballooning the lead to 34 points, 59-25, with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter. A 6-0 closing run with the Cabañero, Antolin, and Hallare trio sealed the rout.
The second half belonged to Gilas, as Indonesia had some minor offensive runs but could never respond to the one-sided offensive attack from the young Filipinos and the tight defense on the other end, thus sealing Gilas’s unbeaten record in the tournament.
Leading the charge for Gilas was Hallare, who scored 13 points along with four rebounds and two assists. Carl Gabriel delos Reyes registered a double-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists. Ethan Tan-Chi and Evaraigne Cruz chipped in with nine and seven points, respectively.
Indonesia struggled on the offensive end, with no one scoring in double figures. Miracle Christian was the high scorer for the team with nine points, while Benjamin Hernusi added eight points.
The victory earned the Philippines not only the gold medal but also a ticket to the forthcoming FIBA U16 Asia Cup in Mongolia, along with qualifiers Indonesia and bronze medalists Malaysia.
