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Drukman's clutch shots give Israel U21 a one-way second round entry, while Philippines U21 continues skid (81053)

Oslo, Norway -- For Philippines U21 and Israel U21, the assignment was very clear: Win this game to gain a ticket to the second round of the U21 World Championship tournament. In the end, Israel U21 claimed the important win over Philippines U21, 74-66. Philippines U21 still has a chance to make it to the second round, but their fate will be determined next week.

Philippines U21 was once again off to a slow start, which is a recurring theme in most Philippines U21 games, regardless of the game results. The Filipinos were within striking distance until the last 1 minute, but Israel U21 thwarted any comeback effort via late back-to-back jumpers and free throws by Israel U21's starting 2-guard, Avinoam Drukman.

Ivan Strool shows off his all-around game for Israel U21. He collected 17 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks. Ram Twily got 16 points and 8 rebounds despite playing off the bench, while Avinoam Drukman added 11 points, in which 6 of them were in the final minute of the game.

Cornelio Porminal and Boen Chong were the only double-digit scorers for Philippines U21, with 16, and 10 points, respectively. Philippines U21, as a team, only shot 28.4% field goals as they had a difficult time navigating through Israel U21's defense.

With this loss, the 4th spot in Pool B is still up for grabs, with Philippines U21 (3-3), Magyarország (Hungary) U21 (2-4), Bosna i Hercegovina (Bosnia) U21 (2-4), and Brasil U21 (2-4) in contention. This makes next week's (2nd of September) games a very exciting day of BB basketball. Here are the important matches in Pool B (all of them at 1:30 AM, Manila time):

Philippines U21 (3-3) vs Bosnia U21 (2-4)
Hungary U21 (2-4) vs Italy U21 (5-1)
Brasil U21 (2-4) vs Nigeria U21 (0-5)

Currently, Philippines U21 sits at 4th. A loss next week will tie them with Bosnia U21, and possibly with Hungary U21 (if they win against Italy U21), and Brasil U21 (if they win against Nigeria U21). In this case, the point difference will matter, and currently, Philippines U21 also has the edge over the other teams in contention.

However, if Philippines U21 wins, they avoid all the point differential complications and moves on to the second round. A win is a must, but Bosnia U21 is also a tough team to beat. With this in mind, we ask to support both U21 and Seniors team.

Points Leaders:
Cornelio Porminal - 16 points
Boen Chong - 10 points
Nyle Tagle - 9 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benigno Sasabo - 14 rebounds
Bill Guerrero - 9 rebounds
Gabo Familar - 6 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Gabo Familar - 5 assists
Cornelio Porminal - 4 assists
Benigno Sasabo - 3 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Guerrero's huge double-double powers Philippines U21 to a win over Bosna i Hercegovina U21, books last second round ticket (81057)

Oslo, Norway -- Before the games, there was uncertainty on the Bosnia U21 side. They haven't fielded a lineup in their previous two games. The reason wasn't revealed, but earlier, they decided to show up and make it difficult for Philippines U21 to make the second round. The audience wasn't disappointed as they were treated to a nailbiter, an overtime game that is.

Philippines U21 was in control in the first half, but they found themselves reeling after a huge third quarter by Bosnia U21, 76-87. Bosnia U21 went by as much as 16 points in the fourth quarter, but the resilient Filipinos caught up with their adversaries, and even tied the game at 99-all with 5 minutes remaining in regulation. The trio of Boen Chong, Cornelio Porminal and Gabo Familar were making plays left and right in the waning minutes of the regulation with Familar making the most important trifecta at the buzzer, which forced an overtime.

In the end, the Filipinos prevailed, 130-126. This win gives them a seat in the second round of the competition. The Filipinos just needed to win this game to avoid complications. With Hungary U21 surprisingly winning by 15 points against Italy U21 earlier, a loss by the Philippines U21 would have relegated them to the #9-#16 classification round, and Hungary U21 will move on to the second round.

This game won't be this close and competitive for Philippines U21 if it weren't for the herculean effort of the 20-year-old big man, Bill Guerrero, who outmuscled his way towards a huge 39-point, 16-rebound double-double. He was also scoring efficiently at an impressive 15 of 20 field goal shooting clip, and a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc. Cornelio Porminal contributed 27 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, while Boen Chong added 15 points to his name.

Benigno Sasabo continues to be Philippines U21's defensive pillar, hauling 17 rebounds and impressively swatting 8 shots. Gabo Familar was 2 points shy of a triple double as he contributed 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, including the clutch trey to give the Filipinos another chance to make the second round.

Danko Kampuš led Bosnia U21 in scoring with 22 points, while Admir Sarija added 19 points and 7 assists. Bosnia U21's starting bigmen, Laza Alečković and Igor Šarić, both secured double-doubles for their team.

As for the second round, all teams won't get a clean slate to start with. They will start with a carry over standing, keeping their results against the other teams in their pool who also advanced. In the case of Philippines U21, they start at 0-3 because of their losses against Hong Kong U21, Italy U21 and Israel U21. Second round schedule is not yet released, but their opponents will be the advancing teams in the other pool, which are USA U21, China U21, Lithuania U21 and France U21. Each team plays 4 games. Top 4 teams make the U21 World Cup semifinals. Second round games will start next week, 9th of September.

This is a great time to support both National teams. Seniors team will also start their campaign in the second round. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Points Leaders:
Bill Guerrero - 39 points
Cornelio Porminal - 27 points
Boen Chong - 15 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benigno Sasabo - 17 rebounds
Bill Guerrero - 16 rebounds
Gabo Familar - 10 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Gabo Familar - 12 assists
Cornelio Porminal - 6 assists
Benigno Sasabo - 6 assists

- Leo

Alright, narelease na ang second round pool at schedule. May carry-over win-loss record tayo, kaya magstart tayo ng second round sa 0-3. Papasok sa semis ang top 4 sa pool na ito.

United States U21 3-0 (67)
Italia U21 2-1 (34)
Hong Kong U21 2-1 (14)
Israel U21 2-1 (6)
France U21 1-2 (-1)
Lietuva U21 1-2 (-26)
China U21 1-2 (-40)
Philippines U21 0-3 (-54)

Philippines U21 second round schedule (Manila date and time):
9th of September, 1:30 AM vs France U21
16th of September, 1:30 AM vs United States U21
23rd of September, 1:30 AM vs Lithuania U21
30th of September, 1:30 AM vs China U21

Bigating teams ang makakaharap natin, pero bigyan natin sila ng magandang laban.

Again, please support our National teams. At kung may player ka na nasa U21 team na natin, o may chance na makapasok sa ating team, please take good care of the Game Shape; very important.

Salamat!
Leo

Congrats Coach Leo and to the entire players of our U21 Squad this season, Great run this U21 World Cup finishing atleast Top 8 Overall isn't really bad we're progressing and with the remaining games i know we will give the power house teams solid fight.

we will go for the final push and we're looking for great results, Chong and Miguel will try their best to contribute as much as possible :D

Goodluck Coach let's Go :D

Good luck Coach, let's go!!

Pour la Victoire! France U21 crushes Philippines U21 Semifinals ambitions, 90-65 (81106)

Oslo, Norway -- With Philippines U21's best outside scorer, Cornelio Porminal, on the sidelines due to conditioning issue, Coach Leo was forced to make a big adjustment, literally big, as Philippines U21 went with a big lineup. The Filipinos' bold move took France U21 by surprise in the first quarter as the Filipinos surged ahead 21-12, but that's about it as the French adjusted quickly and ran through the Filipinos' zone defense to ultimately claim a huge victory, 90-65.

"It was risky, but it's something I've been thinking about after learning about Porminal's condition last Friday", Coach Leo said in the interview. Asked if he will use this strategy again, he just shrugged and said, "Maybe, maybe not. The strategy backfired on us today, but I still see it as a decent weapon. For now, I just hope he [Porminal] can play next week and for everyone to be in tip-top shape for the games ahead."

France U21 got a lot of production from their guards and wings, led by Sylvain Leclerc, who scored 18 points, and added 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Lionel Leroux contributed 13 points, while Rodrigue Joachim and Patrick Ferreira tallied 12 points each. Jean-Charles Nourry had a field day on the defensive end, grabbing 9 rebounds and swatting 8 shots.

The Filipinos were led by Bill Guerrero's 21-point, 11-rebound double-double. Benigno Sasabo stepped up for the Filipinos, adding a double-double to his name with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Feliciano Gaitano added 9 points and 8 rebounds, while Gabo Familar dished out 8 assists. Turnovers were an issue for the Filipinos, giving the French 19 extra possessions.

Philippines U21 is now sporting a 0-4 record, and they find themselves fighting for survival and relying on other teams' results. To make the semifinals, they need to win their next 3 games, and hope for the teams with 3-1 record to lose, namely Hong Kong U21, Israel U21, Italy U21 and United States U21.

Speaking of United States U21, they are up next in the Filipinos' schedule. The Number 1 ranked United States U21 just lost a squeaker against Italy U21. The Philippines-United States game is scheduled on 16th of September, 1:30am (Manila time).

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Points Leaders:
Bill Guerrero - 21 points
Benigno Sasabo - 11 points
Feliciano Gaitano - 9 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benigno Sasabo - 16 rebounds
Bill Guerrero - 11 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 8 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Gabo Familar - 8 assists
Feliciano Gaitano - 3 assists
Benigno Sasabo - 2 assists

- Leo

Porminal's return not enough as Philippines U21 officially bows out of Semifinals contention (81112)

Oslo, Norway -- Philippines U21 welcomed the return of their leading scorer, Cornelio Porminal. Coach Leo was so eager to play him that he even started the game, and he didn't disappoint with his excellent individual performance, like he didn't miss a game.

Unfortunately, the Filipinos faced the number 1-ranked USA U21. The Americans' superior firepower and defense were too much for the Filipinos as Philippines U21 succumb to a 31-point blowout, 71-102. The Filipinos kept the game close in the first quarter, but lost a lot of steam in the succeeding quarters. This loss ultimately eliminates Philippines U21 from Semifinals contention.

The triumvirate of Jia Daocai, Tom Hacker, and Jean Quinones had a field day in scoring for USA U21 with 25, 16 and 13 points, respectively. Collin Harrison and Mark Knight each scored 10 points to add some scoring punch off the bench.

For Philippines U21, Porminal led the way with 25 points. Gabo Familar contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Boen Chong and Anthony Dejando chipped in 10 points each. Second-time starter, Ken Nicolas, made his presence felt as he came up with 6 points, 16 rebounds 2 steals and 6 huge blocks.

Here are the last two games of Philippines U21 in the World Cup (all times are Manila time):

September 23, 1:30AM @ Lithuania U21 (1-4)
September 30, 1:30AM @ China U21 (1-4)

The two teams above are still in contention, but they will have a tough road ahead of them. They need to win in their remaining two games, and hope Israel U21 (3-2) and France U21 (3-2) lose in all their remaining games.

And also, please support Philippines Seniors team as they continue to push for a Semifinals spot in the ongoing Asia Cup.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Points Leaders:
Cornelio Porminal - 25 points
Gabo Familar - 13 points
Boen Chong - 10 points
Anthony Dejando - 10 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Ken Nicolas - 16 rebounds
Benigno Sasabo - 10 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 6 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Gabo Familar - 5 assists
Cornelio Porminal - 3 assists
Benigno Sasabo - 2 assists
Raphael Duruelo - 2 assists

- Leo

Lithuania U21 squeaks past pesky Philippines U21 squad, 95-93 (81115)

Oslo, Norway -- With Philippines U21 already out of contention, and getting demolished in their last two encounters, it was a surprise that they gave Lithuania U21 a run for their money. Lithuania U21 badly needed the win, and by a large margin to catch up with the other teams, but the Filipinos somehow spoiled the party as they only ceded 2 points, 95-93.

Technically, Lithuania U21 still has a chance, but they need to win by at least 29 points over Israel U21 next week, and for France U21 to lose by 9 points or more against Italy U21.

The Filipinos were trailing by 16 points by halftime, but a spirited third quarter run gave them the push that they need, and even claiming the lead for the first time in the 7:33 mark in the fourth quarter, 80-79. It was a see-saw battle until the end, but it was Virgimantas Putriuvaitis' clutch 6 points that sealed the deal. The Filipinos had a chance to tie or win it in their last possession, but Gabo Familar's inside shot rolled out of the rim.

Ramūnas Pliaskunas provided 24 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks to lead Lithuania U21. Virgimantas Putriuvaitis, who replaced Virgis Irlikas in the starting five after the latter took a hard shot in the second quarter, had 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Starting guards Drąsius Jocis, and Cecilijus Volkovas contributed 14, and 13 points, respectively for their squad.

Cornelio Porminal, once again, led the Filipinos with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Feliciano Gaitano, the 20-year-old bigman who started for the second time, added 16 points and 7 rebounds, while Boen Chong and Anthony Dejando chipped in 11 points each. Gabo Familar continues to steer the ship for the Filipinos with his near double-double performance of 9 points and 10 assists.

China U21 and Philippines U21 will lock horns on 30th of September, 1:30 AM (Manila Time). Both teams are already eliminated, but they're eager to end the tournament on a positive note.

And again, please support the Philippines' Seniors team as they look to enter the Semifinals of the ongoing Asia Cup, and possibly booking a ticket to the World Cup next season.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Points Leaders:
Cornelio Porminal - 26 points
Feliciano Gaitano - 16 points
Boen Chong - 11 points
Anthony Dejando - 11 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benigno Sasabo - 13 rebounds
Feliciano Gaitano - 7 rebounds
Cornelio Porminal - 5 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Gabo Familar - 10 assists
Cornelio Porminal - 5 assists
Feliciano Gaitano - 3 assists

- Leo