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    Sharp, physical New Zealand deals Gilas a beating before home fans

    Former La Salle player Samuel a thorn in side of Gilas
    Feb 27, 2022
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    Thirdy Ravena was one of the new bright spots for Gilas in the game against New Zealand.

    GILAS Pilipinas anticipated a highly physical affair against New Zealand in their 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifier.

    The host just couldn't get the job done.

    Needing everything to be perfect against a nation ranked six spots above it in the world rankings, the Philippines shot itself in the foot with missed free throws and blown chances as the Tall Blacks ran away with the 88-63 victory on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

    Thirdy Ravena and Dwight Ramos, stars in their respective Japan B.League teams, did their best to kept the home side afloat but even they had their struggles from the suddenly forsaken 15-foot line.

    Ravena fired 23 points to go with five rebounds, five assists, five steals, and one block but shot only 3-of-10 from the line, while Ramos collected 18 points, 10 boards, three steals, three blocks, and two assists yet made only five of his nine charities.

    In total, the Philippines went 10-of-23 from the line, easy points which could have changed the landscape in this game and made the much-anticipated duel in front of a packed Big Dome crowd a little more competitive.

    Instead, it was Tom Vodanovich and Dion Prewster, the last two MVPs of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZ NBL), who led the Tall Blacks' attack with surgical precision as their fearless drives left a gaping hole at the heart of the Filipinos' defense and left the Gilas bigs dealing with foul trouble.

    With the likes of naturalized center Ange Kouame, Kelly Williams, and Troy Rosario playing conservatively, the Tall Blacks made their move and opened up a 22-point lead, 65-43, after a Taki Fahrensohn three with 1:18 left in the third quarter.

    Vodanovich and Prewster scored 20 points each to carry New Zealand to the top of the Group A standings at 2-0.

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    Robert Bolick tried to spark a Gilas rally in the fourth quarter, getting it as close as 15, 71-56, with 6:35 left, but that proved to be the home teams' last hurrah as New Zealand stretched the spread to its highest at 26 - prompting some fans to heckle the hosts and chant for former national team coach Tab Baldwin.

    Gilas will now pick up the pieces from this defeat and prepare for the third window, where it will get another crack at New Zealand and India in the hope of advancing to the next round of the Asian qualifiers.

    Bolick finished with 10 points in the contest for the Philippines, which sunk to a 1-1 record in the bracket.

    New Zealand also drew solid productions from former La Salle forward Taane Samuel, who delighted some of his fans from Taft with his solid 12-point, 3-rebound, and 2-assist statline.

    The scores:

    NEW ZEALAND 88 - Prewster 20, Vodanovich 20, Loe 15, Samuel 12, Rusbatch 10, Harris 5, Fahrensohn 4, Britt 2, Gold 0, Cook-Green 0, Rodger 0, Wynyard 0.

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    PHILIPPINES 63 - Ravena 23, Ramos 18, Bolick 10, Kouame 5, Pogoy 4, Rosario 2, Williams 1, Erram 0, Montalbo 0, Gomez de Liano 0, Navarro 0, Tungcab 0.

    Quarters: 22-19, 40-30, 65-48, 88-63.

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    Thirdy Ravena was one of the new bright spots for Gilas in the game against New Zealand.
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