By REYNALDN MAGALLON
CJ Perez and AJ Edu shone as Gilas Pilipinas exacted sweet revenge on Senegal, 75-63, in the Heyuan WUS International Basketball Tournament in Guangdong, China on Sunday, Aug. 6.
Perez and Edu kept the Filipinos afloat in the first half before finally putting the clamps down on the world No.37 African team in the final frame to pick up its second win against a loss in the three-field pocket tournament.
The win also wiped the bitter taste of Gilas’ 72-64 loss at the hands of Senegal just last Friday, Aug. 4.
Dwight Ramos and Ray Parks, which also gave Gilas a huge lift in the payoff period where Gilas seized control of the contest after a blistering 17-3 rally.
Perez, who was being tasked to handle playmaking chores in the tournament as part of the contingency plan in case Scottie Thompson fails to make it in time for the World Cup, made a good account of himself with 14 points while effectively distributing the ball and helping in the rebounding department.
Edu was also starting to find his groove with Gilas, chipping in 15 points, built on three triples, including the dagger trey that gave Gilas a 10-point cushion, 70-60 with under two minutes left in the contest.
Ramos and June Mar Fajardo added 12 and 11, respectively, as their Gilas quintet along with Parks, who scored all of his eight points in the fourth, proved to be terrorizing on the defensive end for Senegal which was forced to turn the ball over many times and make hurried shots early in the final frame.
Unlike in the first two games where slow starts hounded Gilas, Perez, Fajardo and Edu ensured that the Filipinos would keep up against their bigger and more athletic counterparts although they still found themselves trailing by three at the break, 36-39.
Gilas will play its final game in the short China tourney on Monday, Aug. 7 against Iran before flying back to Manila and linking up with naturalized player Jordan Clarkson who is expected to arrive on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
