KIEFFER Alas continued his solid play as Batang Gilas scored win No. 2 in the 2023 Fiba Asia U16 Cup, beating Malaysia, 75-52, on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar.
Gilas U16 edges Malaysia, takes second seed in Group D
The 16-year-old Alas fired his second straight double-double of the tournament with 15 points and 13 boards.
After a crushing 67-84 loss to China on opening day and a vengeful 66-42 win over Kazahkstan, Alas & Co. capped the prelims on a high note before vying for a spot in the quarterfinals.
The Malaysians kept it close with the Gilas young guns in scoring from the second quarter onwards, but the Filipinos gained the edge it needed in the first frame after a lopsided 29-8 start.
All but one cager scored for Malaysia in the defeat yet no one breached double figures.
Kurt Velasquez had 13 points and seven rebounds, Elijah Williams had nine and nine, while Bonn Daja had seven markers and 10 boards for the Philippines.
Gilas U16 will take on its Korean counterparts in a knockout match on Thursday for the right to face Japan in the quarterfinals on Friday.
The scores:
Philippines (75) - Alas 15, Velasquez 13, Williams 9, Daja 7, Morales 7, Chua 6, Gomez de Liano 6, Alegre 4, Banal 3, Ludovice 3, Diao 2, Amos DNP.
Malaysia (52) - Chua 7, Hoo 7, Tze Hen 7, Chia 6, Juan 6, Goh 5, Khoo 4, Lai 3, Lee 3, Kang Jun 2, Ja. Tan 2, Je. Tan 0.
Quarterscores: 29-8; 45-23; 60-36; 75-52.
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