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Philippines U21 asserts mastery over hapless Pakistan U21 with a 72-point drubbing (81913)

Tehran, Iran -- Philippines U21 brought the hammer down on a struggling Pakistan U21 team, 114-42. Pakistan U21, who are already eliminated from the second round, seemingly have no answers to the Filipinos' strong offense and defense. Add to that their lethargic second half output where they only scored 12 points, while the Filipinos easily netted 51.

Matt Nallas had a strong showing this time, breaking the 20-point barrier for the first time in this tournament. He finished the game with 26 points on a very efficient 10 of 13 shooting clip, in just 28 minutes. Starters, Bill Guerrero and Shane Mempin each scored 16 points, while Brian William Sumande and Zhong Minyuan contributed nicely off the bench with 14 and 11 points, respectively.

4 Pinoys went on to grab double-digits in rebounds as the Filipinos dominated this department, 65 in total, compared to their opponent's measly 25. Benson Rodeo and Zhong Minyuan collected 12 rebounds each. Abelardo Baluyot had 9 dimes to lead the team in assists, followed by Benson Rodeo's 7 and Shane Mempin's 6.

It was a nightmarish game for Pakistan U21 as no one scored in double-digits for their team. Ardalan Nazari led the way with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a block, while 3 Pakistanis scored 8 points each. Pakistan U21's 42-point showing is their lowest scoring output in the tournament.

Philippines U21, now sporting a 5-1 record, will enter the second round of the tournament, while Pakistan U21 remains winless after 6 games.

With the first round of the tournament over, here are the teams who made it to the second round, together with the possible pool assignments.

First Pool: Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Singapore

Second Pool: Iran, Australia, Hong Kong, U.A.E., Philippines, Vietnam

For the second round, top two teams in each pool will make it to the Semifinals, where teams will battle it out for the lustrous gold trophy and possible World Cup stint next season.

Second round of the tournament starts next week on 15th of December, 10:30PM (Manila Time). Schedule hasn't been announced yet, but it is expected to be released as early as Wednesday. Please continue to support our National Teams!

Points Leaders:
Matt Nallas - 26 points
Bill Guerrero - 16 points
Shane Mempin - 16 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benson Rodeo - 12 rebounds
Zhong Minyuan - 12 rebounds
Bill Guerrero - 10 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 10 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Abelardo Baluyot - 9 assists
Benson Rodeo - 7 assists
Shane Mempin - 6 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Second Round Schedule (all in Manila time):

December 15, 10:30pm vs Australia U21
December 22, 10:30pm vs Vietnam U21
December 29, 10:30pm vs Hong Kong U21
January 5, 10:30pm vs Iran U21
January 12, 10:30pm vs U.A.E. U21

Again, we make top two, we'll be in the Semis.

We still have 4 slots on the roster, so if you think your player has what it takes to make the team, please continue to train and maintain decent game shape.

- Leo

Bill Guerrero and Shane Mempin delivers as Philippines U21 edges Australia U21, 102-93 (82525)

Tehran, Iran -- From the start of the game until the early minutes of the third quarter, Australia U21 and Philippines U21 were in a back-and-forth affair with for lead changes. The Filipinos, somehow, got their bearings afterwards. It wasn't a safe cushion for the most part, but they led by as much as 12 points. Eventually, Philippines U21 survived and claimed the win, 102-93.

Bill Guerrero led the way for Philippines U21 as he finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks. Shane Mempin collected 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Mempin also capitalized on Australia U21's foul woes, making 9 out of his 10 freebies.

Feliciano Gaitano had an efficient shooting night with 14 points, making 7 out of 10 field goal attempts. He also added 12 rebounds and 5 assists. Abelardo Baluyot, once again, spearheaded the Filipinos' offense, dishing out 10 assists, while scoring 7 points of his own.

Guido McInerny and Mike Flatley carried the fight for Australia U21. McInerny finished the game with 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Flatley, while marred by foul trouble, ended the game with 16 points, 5 assists and 2 steals. PJ Hunter had 11 points and 8 rebounds, but fouled out of the game.

Vietnam U21 is next on the schedule for the Filipinos. The game will be held on 22nd of December, 10:30 PM (Manila time). Please continue to support our National Teams!

Points Leaders:
Bill Guerrero - 20 points
Shane Mempin - 19 points
Feliciano Gaitano - 14 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Bill Guerrero - 12 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 12 rebounds
Howard Leynes - 9 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Abelardo Baluyot - 10 assists
Feliciano Gaitano - 5 assists
Zhong Minyuan - 4 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Bench mob shines as Philippines U21 wallops Vietnam U21, 85-47 (82528)

Tehran, Iran -- Philippines U21 continues to rack up wins as they rout Vietnam U21, 85-47, but this time, it was the bench players who did a lot of damage. Philippines U21's bench had 52 points, outscoring the whole Vietnam U21 team. The Filipinos also forced 21 turnovers to stifle Vietnam U21's offense.

Hansen Veloria led the way in scoring for Philippines U21, pouring in 21 points, in just 20 minutes and off the bench. He also added 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks to round of an efficient, yet stellar performance. Dondon Gabuya also made his presence felt, finishing with 20 points on 50% field goal shooting, also coming off the bench. Matt Nallas and Dellan Catucod chipped in 10 and 9 points, respectively, as the starters.

Feliciano Gaitano went berserk on the defensive end, getting 4 steals and 4 blocks, while grabbing 11 rebounds to lead the team in those department. Abelardo Baluyot only got limited minutes due to the nature of the game, but he still racked up 6 points and 6 assists.

For Vietnam U21, bigman, Phu Nguyên, had a double-double, 12 points and 17 rebounds. Despite the name, Anh Buu didn't go unnoticed to everyone as he also recorded a double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds, but these strong performances weren't enough to salvage a win against a superior Philippine team.

Next game day will be a very exciting one as the undefeated teams in both pools clash with each other. In Pool D, the mighty China U21 team will lock horns against the tournament's dark horse, Indonesia U21. On the other side, perennial contender Hong Kong U21 will try to continue its mastery over Philippines U21. These games will be held on 29th of December, 10:30 PM (Manila time). Please continue to support our National Teams and Happy Holidays everyone!

Points Leaders:
Hansen Veloria - 21 points
Dondon Gabuya - 20 points
Matt Nallas - 10 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Feliciano Gaitano - 11 rebounds
Matt Nallas - 9 rebounds
Zhong Minyuan - 8 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Abelardo Baluyot - 6 assists
Zhong Minyuan - 5 assists
Dondon Gabuya - 3 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Hong Kong U21 pulls away late, gave Philippines U21 its first loss in the second round (82531)

Tehran, Iran -- The battle of the top teams in Pool E was as intense as advertised, but in the end, Hong Kong U21, once again, claimed Philippines U21's scalp, 77-65. Hong Kong U21 took control of the first quarter, 23-13, but they were marred by early foul woes. Philippines U21 came back roaring in the second quarter and made the game very close until the early minutes of the third quarter. Afterwards, the Filipinos found themselves struggling to score and turning the ball over several times, while Hong Kong U21 remains composed en route to a very important victory.

Hong Kong U21 now sits atop Pool E with a 3-0 record, while Philippines U21 follows them at 2-1, and are now tied with Australia U21 and Iran U21. On the other side, China U21 was victorious, dismantling Indonesia U21, 135-79. China U21 leads the way in Pool D with a 3-0 record, with Indonesia U21 and Taiwan U21 trailing with a 2-1 record.

The guard triumvirate of Chim Wai Kuen, Yang Xuming and Tan Tze Meng led Hong Kong U21 in scoring. Wai Kuen played 42 minutes and scored 26 points. Xumin added 18 points, while Tze Meng contributed 15 points. Their starting bigs, Chan Hang Wai and Sung Foo Hiu took care of any inside incursions by the Filipinos, swatting 9 shots altogether, and grabbing 11 rebounds each.

Matt Nallas and Feliciano Gaitano were the only double-digit scorers for Philippines U21. Nallas had 14 points, while Gaitano had a 12-point, 10 rebound double-double. Newly-acquired Jack Pailden, at 20 years old, was the Filipinos' defensive anchor this game, hauling down 20 rebounds and swatting 4 shots. Abelardo Baluyot, continues to lead the team in assists, dishing out 10 dimes.

The home team, Iran U21, is up next in Philippines U21's schedule. With both teams at 2-1, this will be an exciting game to watch. Game will be on the 5th of January, 10:30 pm (Manila time). Please continue to support our National teams, and Happy New Year to everyone!

Points Leaders:
Matt Nallas - 14 points
Feliciano Gaitano - 12 points
Alejandro Jemino - 9 points
Hansen Veloria - 9 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Jack Pailden - 20 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 10 rebounds
Alejandro Jemino - 9 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Abelardo Baluyot - 10 assists
Feliciano Gaitano - 3 assists
Jack Pailden - 2 assists
Shane Mempin - 2 assists
Primitivo Dematera - 2 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Nallas' 26 points and Rodeo's 30 rebounds lifts Philippines U21 past Iran U21, 77-61 (82534)

Tehran, Iran -- Despite the king-sized crowd supporting their fellow Iranians, Philippines U21 maintained their poise, especially in the second half, as they surged past Iran U21 convincingly, 77-61.

Matt Nallas was in the forefront of Philippines U21's attack, finishing with 26 points, while Shane Mempin scored 14 points. It wasn't a good night of scoring for the Filipinos, but their defense made up for it and limited Iran U21 to only 61 points, their lowest scoring output in the tournament, so far.

Benson Rodeo outmuscled everyone on the Iran U21 side, and ended up breaking a long-time record with a whopping 30-rebound performance. The previous single-game, individual record by a Philippines U21 player was at 25 rebounds, with 3 players sharing this honor, and the last one was on Season 57 with Terrance McHenry. Rodeo also added 5 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks, completing an impressive stat line.

For Iran U21, Parsa Hoveida led the team in scoring with 24 points. He also added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Siavash Shahmiri added 14 points, while Kaveh Kasravi had a double-double with 10 points and 17 rebounds, on top of his impressive 7 blocks.

Philippines U21 (3-1) remains at #2 behind Hong Kong U21 (4-0) in Pool E, while Australia U21 and Iran U21, who are tied at 2-2, will lock horns next week in an all-important match. In Pool D, Singapore U21 surprisingly beats Indonesia U21, while China U21 and Taiwan U21 won their respective games, retaining their #1 and #2 spots.

U.A.E. U21 will be Philippines U21's last opponent in the second round. Game will be on the 12th of January, 10:30 pm (Manila time). The Semifinals will start on the 16th, while the Finals and World Cup Barrage games is scheduled on the 19th. Busy schedule for U21 in the next few days, so please continue to support our National teams!

Points Leaders:
Matt Nallas - 26 points
Shane Mempin - 14 points
Feliciano Gaitano - 8 points
Abelardo Baluyot - 8 points
Alejandro Jemino - 8 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benson Rodeo - 30 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 13 rebounds
Jack Pailden - 8 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Abelardo Baluyot - 5 assists
Benson Rodeo - 5 assists
Hansen Veloria - 2 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Philippines U21 crushes U.A.E. U21, sets up Semis showdown vs. China U21 (82537)

Tehran, Iran -- Alejandro Jemino scored 19 points and added 3 assists and 3 steals as Philippines U21 led by as many as 35 points en route to a victory over U.A.E. U21, 94-61.

Six players scored in double figures for Philippines U21. Hansen Veloria and Bill Guerrero chipped in 14 points each. Guerrero also collected 10 rebounds, which marks his fifth double-double performance in this tournament. Brian William Sumande and Dondon Gabuya had 13 points each off the bench. Sumande also added 7 assists.

First-time starter Samson Austria almost had a double-double as he finished the game with 10 points and 9 rebounds, while Feliciano Gaitano grabbed 16 boards, followed by Jack Pailden's 11.

Temiz Husayn and Hana Mousa Ibn-Akram led U.A.E. U21 in scoring, contributing 14 points each, while Umar Naqid had 10 points and 7 rebounds.

With this win, the Filipinos secured at least a bronze trophy. They also get a chance to claim the gold or silver trophy with a Semifinals win against Pool D's top seed, China U21. The Filipinos are also given two chances to book a World Cup seat: by winning in the semifinal, or in case of a semifinal loss, they need to win in the World Cup Qualifiers (Barrage).

The other semifinal matchup will be Hong Kong U21, Pool E's top seed, versus Taiwan U21. The two semifinal games are tentatively scheduled on Friday, 16th of January, possibly at 10:30PM (Manila time). Please continue to support our National teams!

Points Leaders:
Alejandro Jemino - 19 points
Hansen Veloria - 14 points
Bill Guerrero - 14 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Feliciano Gaitano - 16 rebounds
Jack Pailden - 11 rebounds
Bill Guerrero - 10 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Brian William Sumande - 7 assists
Abelardo Baluyot - 6 assists
Dondon Gabuya - 4 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

China U21 breaks open tight game in 2nd half, surges past Philippines U21, 89-63 (82820)

Tehran, Iran -- What started as a close match between China U21 and Philippines U21 turned into a nightmare for the latter in the second half, and they eventually succumbed to last season's runner-up, China U21, 89-63.

Philippines U21 kept it close, not giving China U21 lots of breathing room as they only led by as much as 7 points in the first half. The Filipinos started a mini-rally to start the third quarter to seize the lead midway through the third, 43-41, but things went south for them afterwards.

China U21 countered with a big rally to give themselves a 15-point lead at the end of the third quarter, 63-48. The lead ballooned further in the fourth quarter, not giving Philippines U21 a chance to mount a comeback. In the end, China U21 claimed the victory, a chance to claim the gold or silver trophy, and most importantly, the ticket to the World Cup.

As for Philippines U21, they get a bronze trophy and another chance to make the World Cup via World Cup Qualifiers or Barrage, which will be held on Monday or Tuesday, January 19th or 20th. It will be against a Euro team or an Americas team, randomly selected. The result of the draw will be announced as early as tomorrow, 18th of January, at noon.

"The owners (of U21 players) did everything they could, you know, training and managing their forms. I thought I had a great game plan, but it wasn't enough. Kinda frustrating on my part." Coach Leo mentioned in the post-game interview. "We have to claim that World Cup ticket the hard way, once again."

Shen Baofeng went nuclear, especially from beyond the arc, scoring 27 points to lead China U21 in scoring. He made 7 of 10 attempts from rainbow country. Duan Pingming had 19 points, while Dian Qijian added 13 points. Lu Zhikun played off the bench, but his defense was instrumental in keeping Philippines U21 at bay. He swatted 8 shots and grabbed 12 boards in just 19 minutes of action.

The bigmen duo of Bill Guerrero and Feliciano Gaitano carried the load for Philippines U21, as both players got impressive double-doubles, with both players getting more than 20 points and more than 15 rebounds each. The support was scarce though as Abelardo Baluyot and Unciano Taghoy only chipped in 6 points each. The rest of the players didn't score that much.

As mentioned, Philippines U21 still has an upcoming game for a chance to make the World Cup, which will be scheduled on 19th or 20th of January. Please continue to support our National teams!

Points Leaders:
Bill Guerrero - 23 points
Feliciano Gaitano - 20 points
Abelardo Baluyot - 6 points
Unciano Taghoy - 6 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Bill Guerrero - 17 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 15 rebounds
Unciano Taghoy - 7 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Abelardo Baluyot - 5 assists
Dondon Gabuya - 4 assists
Unciano Taghoy - 3 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Alright, the World Cup Qualifier schedules are out:

January 19, 7:00 PM (Manila time) - Philippines U21 vs Belgium U21

This is our last chance to make the World Cup next season. A loss means we go to the Consolation Tournament.

Regarding the upcoming draft, the draftees will arrive as early as this Monday, a few hours after our WCQ game. Hoping that we get decent young studs to further bolster our National Teams.

18- and 19-year old rookies will be scouted first starting on Tuesday. Looking forward to communicating with you guys regarding your training plans. If you have no intentions to train, kindly sell your rookie/s as early as possible.

Good luck everyone at maraming salamat sa inyong suporta!

- Leo

Ok, let's get this straight, no articles this time. Sa kasamaang palad, bigo tayo laban sa Belgium U21, kaya Consolation Tournament tayo mapupunta kung saan no bearing ang mga games next season. We'll just be playing for pride there, and reach the furthest stage.

Oo, nakuha natin ang bronze trophy, pero hindi ito ang resulta na gusto natin, gusto natin World Cup. Kung meron man akong nakikitang rason kung bakit tayo natalo, ito ay ang tactics na ginamit ko sa larong ito. Dahil dyan, humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa mga managers na nagtiwala sa akin, at nagtrain ng kanilang players, at pati na rin sa ating Filipino community. More improvements to come on my side, tactics-wise, at hopefully, mas maging consistent na tayo sa WC in the future.

Now for the schedule. Bukas ko na sisimulan ang pagscout. Nabanggit ko na uunahin natin iscout ang mga 18- at 19-year old rookies, allstar and above potential. Expect a mail galing sa akin kung nakikitaan ko sila ng potensyal na mapabilang sa future U21 and/or squad/s natin. Target na matapos ito ng Miyerkules. Sunod naman ang mga non-rookies na sana ay matapos lahat bago ang scrimmage natin sa Lunes, next week

Ulitin natin, kung wala tayong planong magtrain ng rookies, mas mainam na ibenta natin ito this week. Huwag na patagalin pa. Mas matagal, mas bumababa ang value ng player. Sayang din ang mga linggong hindi sila natetrain. May mga managers tayong naghahanap ng rookies na itetrain; kasama na ako doon.

What's next? Ito ang goals ko para sa susunod na season:
1. Nabanggit ko na sa taas, makarating ang U21 team sa pinakamalayong mararating nito.

2. Plan ko magfocus sa mga incoming 19- at 20-year olds. Paghahanda ito sa susunod na cycle.

3. Iniisip kong maglagay na ng minimum skill requirements o guidelines para sa U21. Napapanahon na siguro ito para alam ng mga managers kung ano ang skillset ng player/s na kadalasang nakakapasok sa ating U21 team. We need more well-rounded players; players na may palag sa opensa (in terms of scoring or passing) at pati depensa. I still see a few players na scorer lang, mababa ang def, and vice versa.

Ayun, maraming salamat sa suporta. See you next season at good luck sa inyong league games. This Saturday po ang start ng bagong season, reminder sa lahat!

- Leo

Update lang ito sa scouting at sa mga pangyayari sa offseason:

1) Tingin ko namail ko na karamihan ng mga managers ng mga rookies na may allstar potential pataas at may chance na mapabilang sa ating U21/ Seniors team. Maraming salamat sa mga nagreply at nagpakita ng interes sa pagtetrain.

2) At sa mga hindi ko namail at tingin nyo may rookie/s kayo na maaaring makatulong sa ating National teams, message nyo ako dito sa BB kung interesado kayong magtrain.

3) Sunod na natin iscout ang mga non-rookies, simula sa mga 19 year olds, at pataas. Hopefully matapos natin ito bago ang scrimmage sa Lunes.

4) Speaking of scrimmage, makakalaban natin ang Greece U21 sa Lunes, 26th January, madaling araw, 12:30am. Unang sabak ito ng mga 21 y/o na U21 prospects natin.

Ayun lang muna, medyo busy tayo hanggang weekends, kaya pasensya na sa iba kung may delay/s sa replies.

Simula na sa Sabado ang new season, kaya good luck sa inyong league games.

Best regards,
Leo