2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup news and updates

[fayt]

ngeks..... ano yun..... sayang naman ang pagkakataon..... sayang din ang ticket..

muka hindi masyado na organized ang agreement kaya nagsilabasan na ngayon ang mga ganyan... tsk tsk

[Zurca]

Sa mahal ba naman ng mga tickets ang expectation ng mga fans ay isang exhibition game talaga lol. May nabasa ako na since April pa daw alam na ng mga organizers na hindi papayagan ang mga players maglaro dito pero tinuloy pa din nila.

[Troll Montero]

andaming gustong mag refund ng ticket... wala nga daw kase release order ang NBA para sa nasabing event... kawawa naman ang gumastos ng 23K...

[Zurca]

Fonacier begs off from Gilas Pilipinas

MANILA, Philippines – Larry Fonacier will no longer be part of the Gilas Pilipinas pool.

A tweet by the Philippine National men's basketball team head coach Chot Reyes sent Thursday morning, July 24 detailed why the Talk 'N Texts' veteran shooting guard begged off from national team duties.

"Unknown to many, Larry has been playing through a variety of foot and back injuries that have bothered him the past 2 years; and it is only his great dedication that has prevented him from taking anytime off."

The "Baby-faced Assasin", playing for the Tropang Texters who routinely make deep playoff runs conference after conference in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), has hardly had time to rest because of tournaments played with Gilas in between PBA seasons.

"The rigors of playing almost non-stop in the PBA and national team for the past 3 years has taken its toll, leaving Larry with no recourse but to accede to his doctors orders for complete rest and rehabilitation." Reyes added.

Fonacier also has a knee-injury history. He suffered an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury in 2004 that ended his UAAP career.

Fonacier, a career 36% shooter from beyond the arc according to pba-online.net, has shot an average of 1.21 three-point field goals in his 9-year tenure as a PBA player.

His unexpected exit leaves a spot in the Gilas roster for a player who can also potentially space the floor the way the shooting guard did for the national team. A leading candidate could be Rain or Shine's Paul Lee who lead the national team in their 3rd place finish in the recently concluded FIBA Asia Cup.

Aside from his ability to shoot from long-range, Reyes said they "will definitely miss Larry's quiet leadership and unyielding heart."

From Rappler.com

[Troll Montero]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Zurca]

Miami Heat greet Gilas Pilipinas in Florida

MANILA, Philippines – Currently in Miami, Florida to prepare for the upcoming 2014 FIBA World Cup, Gilas-Pilipinas received a warm welcome greeting from the city’s NBA squad.

The Miami Heat, four-time defending NBA Eastern Conference Champions, welcomed the Philippine national basketball team to South Florida through their official Twitter account.

In response, Gilas head coach Chot Reyes sent a reply, while also indicating his desire for members of the Heat organization to drop by and help train the team, which is currently practicing with naturalized NBA big man Andray Blatche.

The Heat’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra, is half-Filipino and has visited the Philippines many times in the past.

His presence in Gilas’ training camp would surely be welcomed with open arms, as the team prepares to embark for a journey to Madrid, Spain.

Furthermore, some of the players of Gilas, namely LA Tenorio, Jayson Castro, and Beau Belga, got to meet and take pictures with the latest addition to the Heat’s roster, Luol Deng.

But of course, the Philippine team also made sure to stay on track for what they set out to do in South Beach.

From Rappler.com

[Zurca]

Gilas Pilipinas wins tuneup game with Pro-Am team in Miami

The Philippine national men’s basketball team showed some positive signs after they dominated a Miami Pro-Am team, 95-74, in a tuneup game as part of their preparations for the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain this August.

Naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche looked like a good fit with his new Gilas Pilipinas teammates as he showcased his top-flight scoring and playmaking abilities from the very first quarter.

June Mar Fajardo, too, played well, coming alive in the second half and proving extremely effective in the paint as he helped the Filipinos cruise to an easy victory.

“I’m satisfied with the way we played tonight, gentlemen. But expect a tougher game tomorrow against a team with three 6’10″ players. Tomorrow will be the real test,” Gilas coach Chot Reyes told the team after the game.

Gilas showed plenty of good things in the tuneup game, with their bench providing some key contributions in the second quarter.

They capped the contest off with some impressive dunks from both Japeth Aguilar and Gabe Norwood as they eased their way to a lopsided result.

From InterAksyon


Gilas Pilipinas beats Elev8 squad for second straight tuneup win in Miami

The Philippine national men’s basketball team prevailed over Elev8 squad, 93-84, on Sunday (Monday Philippine time) to win its second tuneup game during its training camp in Miami.

Elev8 was comprised of a couple of former collegiate standouts, some of whom have playing experiences in the NBA Developmental League and overseas.

“Good game and win today vs the Elev8 selection. Great ball movement. We’re getting better,” Gilas assistant Josh Reyes posted on his Instagram account after the game.

Gilas Pilipinas earlier won against a Miami Pro-Am team, 95-74, in their first tuneup game of the camp last Sunday.

The games are part of their preparations for the FIBA Basketball World Cup this August.

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

Gilas Pilipinas lands in Spain, enters homestretch of buildup for FIBA World Cup

Members of the Philippine national men’s basketball team landed in Spain on Wednesday as they continue their preparations for the FIBA World Cup later this August.

Some members of Gilas Pilipinas took to Twitter to announce their arrival in the Spanish capital of Madrid.

Coming from Miami where they held a two-week camp, some members of the team took time to watch some game tape while on the trip. Coach Chot Reyes posted a photo of naturalized center Andray Blatche looking at some of the team’s past games.

Gilas Pilipinas will play a couple of tuneup games in Spain for the last stretch of their preparations for the FIBA World Cup slated on August 30.

The Filipinos will face Argentina, Puerto Rico, Greece, Croatia and Senegal in Group C as they make their first appearance in the world stage in 40 years.

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

Andray Blatche carries Gilas Pilipinas to impressive 31-point win over Spanish pro selection

Naturalized center Andray Blatche scored 18 points to lead the Philippine national men’s basketball team to an impressive 89-58 rout of a Spanish pro selection in a tuneup game on Sunday (Monday morning Philippine time) in Vitoria, Spain.

Gilas Pilipinas’ opponent was composed of players from the professional basketball league in Spain Liga ACB.

Gilas Pilipinas dominated from start to finish, with Blatche hitting three-pointers and converting on the fastbreak as they opened up a 50-31 lead at halftime.

The Filipinos continued their rampage in the second half, especially from downtown as they made 50 percent (13 of 26) of their three-pointers in the game which kept the Spanish at bay.

Paul Lee added 10 points, while Jared Dillinger and LA Tenorio chipped in nine and seven markers. Gabe Norwood also scored six points.

TV5 will air a primetime telecast of the match at 8 p.m.

Gilas Pilipinas will now travel to Antibes, France where they will play against France, Australia and Ukraine in a series of exhibition games.

The games are part of the Filipino’s preparations for the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain later this August.

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: August 13, 2014, 10:01:04 AMGilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes announces 12-man lineup to Asian Games

Philippine national men’s basketball team coach Chot Reyes announced on Wednesday morning the 12-man lineup that will compete in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Korea.

2014 ASIAN GAMES roster:
Jayson, LA, Gary, Paul, Jeff, JD, Gabe, Ranidel, Marc
Japeth, Junmar, Andray.
#LabanPilipinasPUSO !

Naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche and FIBA Asia Championship All-Star Five member Jayson Castro will banner Gilas Pilipinas, which will make a bid to become the first Philippine team to win the Asian Games gold in over 50 years.

FIBA Asia veterans LA Tenorio, Gary David, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood, Ranidel De Ocampo, Marc Pingris, Japeth Aguilar and June Mar Fajardo.

FIBA Asia Cup hero Paul Lee and Jared Dillinger, late additions to the national team pool, also made the squad.

The Gilas players are currently in Europe as part of their preparations for the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, set to begin on August 30.

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

Gilas vs the World tune-up tour broadcast schedule on TV5

Saturday, August 16

• 5:00 p.m. — Gilas versus France TELECAST ON TV5
(Replay on Aug. 17 at 10:30 p.m. on Aksyon TV)

Sunday, August 17

• 4:00 p.m. — Gilas versus Australia TELECAST ON TV5
(Replay on Aug. 18 at 10:30 p.m. on Aksyon TV)

Monday, August 18

• 8:00 p.m. — Gilas versus Ukraine TELECAST ON TV5
(Replay on Aug. 19 at 10:30 p.m. on Aksyon TV)

Thursday, August 21

• 8:00 p.m. — Gilas versus Basque National Team TELECAST ON TV5
(Replay on Aug. 21 at 10:30 p.m. on Aksyon TV)

Saturday, August 23

• 12:30 p.m. — Gilas versus Angola TELECAST ON TV5
(Replay on Aug. 23 at 10:30 p.m. on Aksyon TV)

Monday, August 25

• 8:00 p.m. — Gilas versus Dominican Republic TELECAST ON TV5
(Replay on Aug. 25 at 10:30 p.m. on Aksyon TV)

Tuesday, August 26

• 8:00 p.m. — Gilas versus Egypt TELECAST ON TV5
(Replay on Aug. 26 at 10:30 p.m. on Aksyon TV)

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

Gilas Pilipinas hangs tough in seven-point loss to France in tune-up

The Philippine national men’s basketball team put together an impressive showing against European champions and host team France, 75-68, to kick off its campaign in a four-team pocket tournament on Saturday in Antibes.

Naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche and Paul Lee scored 12 points apiece to help lead Gilas Pilipinas, which showed it could compete with one of the world’s best teams ahead of the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

Gilas also got contributions from Jeff Chan, who finished with nine points, as well as team captain Jimmy Alapag and forward Ranidel De Ocampo, who finished with eight apiece.

France featured several NBA players on the roster, including Nicolas Batum, who starred with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and captain Boris Diaw.

Diaw, a member of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, scored only one point but grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists.

The Filipinos led by as much as five points, 60-55, with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after a three-pointer from team captain Jimmy Alapag.

But the host squad went on a 20-8 run over the next several minutes to take control of the game.

6-foot-4 point guard Antoine Diot, who started knocking down shots from the outside, scored all eight of his points in the late France rally while 22-year-old Joffrey Lauvergne added six.

Gilas Pilipinas lit it up from the beyond the arc in the game, shooting 12-for-29 for a 41% clip. Chan shined in that department, connecting on three triples while Alapag, Lee and De Ocampo all hit two apiece.

Blatche finished with 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds but struggled with his shot, making just five of his 17 field goal attempts. He hurt himself in the third period but was able to return late in the fourth.

The Philippines rested point guard Jayson Castro, who starred for them in the FIBA Asia Championships in Manila last year.

Gilas Pilipinas will play Australia and Ukraine over the next two days.

The scores:
France (75) – Batum 16, Lauvergne 12, Pietrus 10, Diot 8, De Colo 8, Fournier 6, Mahinmi 5, Gelabale 5, Gobert 2, Heurtel 2, Diaw 1, Jackson 0.

Gilas Pilipinas (68) – Blatche 12, Lee 12, Chan 9, Alapag 8, De Ocampo 8, Norwood 7, Tenorio 3, Douthit 2, Aguilar 2, David 2, Fajardo 2, Pingris 1, Dillinger 0.

Quarterscores: 22-20, 35-39, 52-55, 75-68.

From InterAksyon

[tonistork]

nice game against a world power in basketball.

lumamang pa nga eh.

[Zurca]

Gilas Pilipinas falters in fourth quarter against tough Australia in tune-up

The Philippine national men’s basketball team hung around for nearly two and a half quarters but could not stop an Australian onslaught in the fourth that sealed a 97-75 victory for the FIBA Oceania champions on the second day of the pocket tournament in Antibes, France.

Gilas Pilipinas, like in their game against France, looked like they belonged on the world level before running into some trouble in the fourth quarter, where they were outscored, 24-12.

Naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche impressed with 20 points and 10 rebounds through three quarters but the Gilas center ran out of stream in the final period, where he failed to contribute much to the Philippines’ cause.

Jayson Castro scored 12 points while Jeff Chan and Gary David added 11 and 10, respectively, for the Filipinos.

Gilas will have one more assignment – a game against European team Ukraine – before wrapping up their stint in the pocket tournament being held as part of all four teams’ preparations for the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Australia started out strong with Aron Baynes of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls second round pick Cameron Bairstow opening scoring as the Boomers jumped out to a double-digit lead, 16-6, in the first quarter.

But Blatche and Castro turned the tide to keep Gilas in the game as they trailed by just three points, 20-17, at the end of the first.

In the second, the Philippines got to as close as they ever would in the game after coming to within a single point, 33-32, on a three-pointer from Chand and back-to-back buckets from LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar.

But the Boomers once again extended their lead to as much as nine points before a late Gilas flurry made it a five-point game, 47-42, at the halftime break.

Blatche led the way with 12 points and five rebounds in the first half while Chan continued to look comfortable shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down two.

Europe-based Brad Newley had 10 points for Australia at the half while Baynes had nine.

Team captain Matthew Dellavedova then took over for Australia in the third. The Cleveland Cavalier scored Australia’s first nine points of the period and the Boomers once again controlled the game when his teammates joined the scoring parade to make it 64-54 in their favor.

But the scrappy Filipinos would refuse to go away with Blatche and David combining for successive threes that erased most of Australia’s lead, 64-60.

Utah Jazz rookie Dante Exum found teammate Nate Jawai for a dunk before creating for himself for two more points as he sparked another Aussie run that gave them a 73-63 lead heading into the fourth.

It was mostly Australia in the fourth, though, as they opened with a 16-5 run that turned it into a 21-point game with just four and a half minutes left to play.

Castro tried to battle back but the Boomers were too far ahead to be worried in the endgame.

Baynes led Australia with 15 points while four other players scored in double figures. Exum, the 19-year-old phenom, finished with an all-around line of eight points, five rebounds and a game-high six assists.

The scores:
Australia (97) – Baynes 15, Broekhoff 14, Dellavedova 13, Newley 13, Jawai 10, Exum 8, Gibson 7, Motum 7, Goulding 6, Bairstow 4, Ingles 0.

Gilas Pilipinas (75) – Blatche 20, Castro 12, Chan 11, David 10, Dillinger 8, De Ocampo 4, Norwood 3, Alapag 2, Tenorio 2, Aguilar 2, Fajardo 1, Pingris 0, Lee 0, Belga 0.

Quarterscores: 20-17, 47-42, 73-63, 97-75.

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: August 18, 2014, 10:00:28 AMBlatche-less Gilas Pilipinas crushed by Ukraine in 50-point rout in tune-up game

The Philippine national men’s basketball, playing without naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche, was crushed by an in-form Ukraine squad, 114-64, as they were shut out in three games in a pocket tournament in Antibes, France.

Gilas Pilipinas showed some positive signs in earlier games against France and Australia but could not keep in step with Ukraine in this one.

It was the second win for the European side in the tournament after defeating host France, 63-56, on Day Two of the tournament.

Ranidel De Ocampo led Gilas with 11 points while Jeff Chan finished with 10. Both players hit three three-pointers each in the contest.

Marcus Douthit, filling in for Blatche in this one, scored just five points on 1-for-7 shooting but grabbed eight rebounds in the loss.

Gilas Pilipinas, which rested point guard Paul Lee as well as Blatche, hung tough with Ukraine in the first period.

LA Tenorio, Chan and De Ocampo all hit triples as the Filipinos dueled the European side to a 16-all tie before Maksim Pustozvonov and Viacheslav Kravtsov combined to score five straight points to make it 21-16 after the opening period.

The game got out of control in the second, though, after Ukraine scored a whopping 40 points while the Philippines managed just 19.

Jayson Castro, who finished with nine points, hit another trey to bring Gilas to within two, 21-19, before Ukraine fired off a 23-6 run to push their lead to 19 points. The Europeans would later go on a 15-3 blast that pushed the lead to as high as 28, 61-33.

The Ukrainians led 61-35 at the break after shooting a phenomenal 25-for-38 (66 percent) clip from the field and 9-for-13 (69%) from three-point range.

Oleksandr Lipovyy scored 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 clip, including three triples, while five other players contributed seven or more in a sizzling first half.

Ukraine pushed its lead past 30-point mark after a four-point play by Sergiy Gladyr that made it 70-39 with 7:10 remaining in the third period. They led by as much as 37 points, 83-46, late in the third.

In the fourth, Ukraine pushed their advantage to a high of 51 points, 114-63, after another big run before settling for the final score.

Scores:

UKR (114) - Lypovyy 26, Mishula 24, Zaytsev 15, Kravtsov 14, Zabirchenko 13, Mikhailiuk 11, Puztozvonov 10, Gladyr 9, Korniyenko 8, Natyahzko 7, Eugene 6, Zavadskiy 4

PHI (64) - De Ocampo 11, Chan 10, Castro 9, Tenorio 5, Douthit 5, Belga 5, Dillinger 5, Alapag 3, David 3, Aguilar 2, Fajardo 2, Washington 2, Pingris 2, Norwood 0

From InterAksyon


Post Merge: August 18, 2014, 04:54:36 PMRose hears cheers as US beats Brazil 95-78

CHICAGO (AP) -- The roars for Derrick Rose started with the pregame introductions and did not fade until the final buzzer.

The Chicago Bulls superstar was back on his court, back in his element.

Rose showed some of his old explosiveness, fellow Chicago product Anthony Davis scored 20 points, and the U.S. beat Brazil 95-78 on Saturday night in a tuneup for the World Cup of Basketball.

With deafening cheers rocking the arena, Rose looked like an MVP at times even if he only had seven points. He also seemed happy to defer to his teammates in his first appearance at the United Center since his latest season-ending knee injury.

''I think everybody's excited,'' Rose said. ''It was cool. At the same time, I can't get big-headed about it or anything like that. I've just got to keep poised.''

What he needs to be is the player he was - or close to it -before the knee injuries started to pile up. A torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and a torn meniscus in his right knee two of the past three seasons derailed a rocketing rise from the city's South Side to the No. 1 pick in the draft and stardom with his hometown team.

The Bulls are counting on Rose to lead them back to contention in the Eastern Conference after they added some key pieces, including Pau Gasol.

''For Derrick, there are so many positives for this,'' said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, a U.S. assistant. ''He shakes the rust off. He has a tremendous amount of pride. It's something that he wants to do and believes that he should do. I think this will be great preparation for the season.''

Davis, who like Rose grew up on Chicago's South Side, dominated down the stretch, and the U.S. pulled away after Brazil kept it close for three quarters.

With a five-point lead going into the fourth, the U.S. went on a 14-2 run to break open a 68-63 game.

Klay Thompson nailed a 3-pointer to start it, and Davis took over.

He hit two free throws and blocked a shot by Larry Taylor, leading to a three-point play for James Harden.

Davis then threw down an alley-oop dunk to make it a 15-point game, and after Leandro Barbosa scored for Brazil, he nailed a jumper. Harden (18 points) finished the run with two free throws, making it 82-65.

Tiago Splitter scored 16 for Brazil.

Fans started chanting, ''We want Rose!'' with their favorite player watching from the sideline as the U.S. pulled away. They got their wish when he checked back in with 5:20 left and let out yet another loud roar, although coach Mike Krzyzewski insisted he wasn't catering to the crowd.

That's how it was all night for Rose.

Fans showed up in Bulls No. 1 jerseys - he's No. 6 for the U.S. They gave him a deafening ovation and chanted ''MVP! MVP!'' during the introductions and went wild again as he grabbed the microphone for a heartfelt address to the crowd before the opening tip. He referenced the violence in Chicago and said this game was ''huge for the city.''

The U.S. might not have as much star power as it has in the past, particularly with MVP Kevin Durant and others withdrawing and Paul George suffering a gruesome leg injury. Even so, the U.S. was looking good with a 29-15 lead through the first quarter.

Rose really didn't go hard to the rim until early in the second, when he beat Raul Neto with a crossover and got fouled. He made 1 of 2 free throws as the crowd chanted ''MVP! MVP!'' Moments later, he blew a wide-open tomahawk dunk, sending a groan through the arena, and he also headed to the locker room with a cut near his left eye with about 5 1/2 minutes left in the half.

Brazil, meanwhile got within 35-33 on a basket by Splitter with 4:27 left. But the U.S. led 45-37 at the half after Rose raced up the court for a floater at the buzzer to the crowd's delight after two free throws by Nene.

Rose had them roaring again when he beat Neto and switched to his left hand in midair on a drive with just over 3:30 left in the third, making it 64-53.

''Playing against this competition, I was just trying to get my wind back,'' Rose said. ''I am going hard at practice and pushing myself every day.''

From Y! Sports

[Zurca]

Paul Lee, Andray Blatche added to Gilas World Cup lineup

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes announced Monday, August 18 via Twitter that Rain or Shine guard Paul Lee and newly naturalized big man Andray Blatche will be inserted into the lineup for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

Reyes said Lee will take the spot left by Larry Fonacier, who withdrew from the squad due to medical reasons. Blatche, on the other hand, will take the place of Marcus Douthit, another naturalized player who gave Gilas a boost in previous years, most especially during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship where the Philippines bagged the silver medal and qualified for this year’s World Cup.

The national team coach did not specify who will fill the 10 remaining spots, though it’s believed that the team that competed in FIBA Asia in August of 2013 will remain on the squad, which includes Jimmy Alapag, LA Tenorio, Jayson Castro, Gary David, Gabe Norwood, Marc Pingris, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jeff Chan.

The 17-man pool that Reyes initially assembled did not include Blatche who still wasn’t naturalized at the time. But Greg Slaughter and Marcio Lassiter backed out from the pool out of respect to the 12 players who worked hard to qualify for the World Cup.

Lee made a solid case for himself with his impressive performance in the FIBA Asia Cup, where he averaged 12 points, two rebounds and two assists and shot 50% from the three-point area. The former UE Red Warrior also sealed the bronze medal finish for Gilas, its highest ever in the tourney, with his 3 free throws with no time remaining to defeat China, 80-79, in the battle for third last July.

Gilas Pilipinas is set to return to Spain coming off the Antibes International Basketball Tournament in France, which was part of their preparations for the World Cup that will take place from August 30 to September 14.

From Rappler.com
Post Merge: August 21, 2014, 07:38:01 PMUS routs Dominicans in exhibition as Rose rests

NEW YORK (AP) -- Derrick Rose heard the fans chanting his name, and yes, he would've loved to give them what they wanted.

But after missing most of the past two years and with still a long summer of basketball ahead, he's willing to take this return slowly.

''Just trying to protect myself, just knowing that this is a long, long schedule and this is the most basketball I'll be playing in two years,'' Rose said.

''I want to be out there, but at the same time my health is the No. 1 issue right now.''

With Rose sitting out, Kyrie Irving started and made all five shots, scoring 12 points as the U.S. national basketball team beat the Dominican Republic 105-62 on Wednesday night in an exhibition game.

James Harden also scored 12 in limited playing time for the Americans, who used their subs for most of the second half. Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan each scored 13 points.

Rose and U.S. assistant Tom Thibodeau, Rose's coach with the Chicago Bulls, both said he was experiencing general soreness, though Rose was quick to point out it was nothing related to his multiple knee surgeries.

Rose's absence allowed U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski to take a longer look at other players with cuts coming soon. The Americans have 16 players on the roster and have to get down to 12 before the upcoming Basketball World Cup.

''When we do eventually make decisions on the 12, it will be very, very difficult,'' Krzyzewski said.

Krzyzewski said there would be no cuts before Friday's game against Puerto Rico, and he said Rose would play that night.

Fans chanted loudly in the third quarter for Rose to get into this one, but Krzyzewski decided shortly before tip the Chicago Bulls star wouldn't play.

Rose had sat out practices the past two days after starting in Saturday's exhibition victory over Brazil on his home floor, saying Tuesday he just wanted extra rest as he tries to play his way back into shape after missing most of the past two seasons because of knee surgeries.

''He's feeling a lot better, he was probably feeling good enough to play tonight, but because he hasn't played and he's trying to shake off some rust, the best thing to do was to give him the day off,'' Thibodeau said.

Houston Rockets forward Francisco Garcia scored 14 points for the Dominican Republic, coached by South Florida's Orlando Antigua. The Dominicans are without their best player, the Atlanta Hawks' Al Horford, who is recovering from a torn right pectoral muscle.

Karl Towns played 10 minutes for the Dominicans, though he won't accompany them to Spain as the highly touted freshman heads to Kentucky. The team shot 34 percent.

''Would've liked to shot the ball a lot better, but I thought we did a lot of good things throughout the game. We showed some good points,'' Antigua said.

The teams will meet again in Bilbao, Spain, where they are both in Group C.

The Americans leave Saturday for Spain, where they will finish their preparations with a final exhibition against Slovenia. The World Cup opens on Aug. 30.

The Dominicans took a 6-4 lead, the Americans answered with 14 straight points to make it 18-6, and that was about it. The Americans expanded a 28-17 lead after one quarter to 53-31 at the half, as Harden and Klay Thompson each scored 10 points by the break.

The U.S. pushed it to 69-34 with a little more than 4 minutes left in the third after a flurry by Irving, allowing for extra playing time for players at the back end of the roster such as Andre Drummond and Gordon Hayward.

Drummond finished with 12 points for the Americans, who shot 58 percent.

Chandler Parsons, Kyle Korver and Mason Plumlee were the only Americans who didn't play.

Before the game, U.S. military members presented each player with two dog tags. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said one featured the American flag, the player's name, and the words leadership, service and teamwork, and the other featured the name of a serviceman.

From Y! Sports

[Zurca]

Andray Blatche posts 33 and 17 but Gilas falls short against African champions Angola in tune-up

The Philippine national men’s basketball team dropped another tough contest to world-class competition, falling to African powerhouse Angola, 83-74, in a tune-up game on Thursday in San Sebastian, Spain.

Gilas Pilipinas posed a real threat to Angola, champions of seven of the last eight FIBA Africa Championships and ranked 15th in the world, trailing by as little as five points early in the fourth before falling behind near the end.

Naturalized NBA play Andray Blatche had a phenomenal performance, scoring 33 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in almost 31 minutes of play but no other Filipino player finished in double figures.

Ranidel De Ocampo came closest with nine points while Gabe Norwood added seven. Jimmy Alapag and Jeff Chan each hit two three-pointers for six points.

Gilas point guard Jayson Castro, who had to undergo an MRI on Wednesday after suffering an injury in their previous game, was back on the court for this one, playing 15 minutes but only scoring two points.

The Filipinos finished the first quarter tied at 17-all and even took a nine-point lead in the second period before a big 26-8 run from Angola changed the complexion of the game.

The African champs entered the halftime break leading, 43-34.

In the third, Gilas battled back to within five, 53-48, but a strong finish from Angola pushed the lead to double figures, 64-50, heading into the fourth.

The Philippines then scored nine consecutive points to open the final period, cutting the deficit back down to a manageable five points, 64-59.

But Angola countered with an 8-0 run before pushing the lead to as high as 15 points, 76-61, in the fourth.

Angola’s 6-foot-4 guard Olimpio Cipriano torched his Filipino defenders for 29 points while naturalized player Reggie Moore had 14.

The scores:
Angola (83) – Cipriano 29, Moore 14, Moreira 9, Fortes 7, Joaquim 6, Gomes 5, Mingas 5, Costa 4, Ndoniema 2, Santos 2, Manuel 0, Barros 0.

Gilas Pilipinas (74) – Blatche 33, De Ocampo 9, Norwood 7, Alapag 6, Chan 6, Tenorio 4, Aguilar 4, Fajardo 3, Castro 2, David 0, Belga 0, Dillinger 0, Pingris 0.

Quarterscores: 17-17, 43-34, 64-50, 83-74.

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: August 23, 2014, 09:51:49 AMUS beats Puerto Rico 112-86 in hoops exhibition

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stephen Curry scored 20 points and the U.S. national team pulled away in the second half to beat Puerto Rico 112-86 on Friday night in its final home exhibition game before the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Derrick Rose came off the bench for the Americans, who used 12 of their 16 players and are expected to cut at least a couple of them on Saturday before departing for Spain. They will play a final exhibition game there against Slovenia and will need to have their final 12-man roster set the day before their Aug. 30 opener against Finland.

All-Star Damian Lillard, Andre Drummond, Gordon Hayward and DeMar DeRozan didn't play.

James Harden added 13 points for the Americans.

The U.S. led 52-47 after Klay Thompson's buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of an entertaining first half before a divided crowd that included plenty of Puerto Rican fans. Knicks All-Star and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Carmelo Anthony, who is part Puerto Rican, was in the front row along with golfer Rory McIlroy and tennis star Andy Murray.

Rose checked in midway through the first quarter after sitting out the previous game and a couple of practices this week after feeling soreness following last Saturday's exhibition opener against Brazil. He has sat out most of the last two seasons after a pair of knee surgeries, and has to prove he is ready to lead a U.S. team that has already lost some good players this summer to withdrawals and injuries.

The Americans are still good enough to defend their world title with the roster that remains but are vulnerable, which Puerto Rico proved by staying right with them for 20 minutes.

But they can also turn close games into blowouts in a hurry, which they did by outscoring Puerto Rico 14-2 to open the second half, with some energetic plays from starting forward Kenneth Faried on both ends, to open a 66-49 lead.

Puerto Rico's veteran backcourt of Carlos Arroyo and J.J. Barea has loads of international and NBA experience, and they didn't wilt under relentless U.S. pressure the way so many other teams do. Former Knicks forward Renaldo Balkman also started for the Puerto Ricans, who play in Group B along with regional rival Argentina, Croatia, Greece, Senegal and the Philippines.

But the U.S. made 13 of 21 shots in the third quarter, while Anthony Davis and Faried seemed to contest everything Puerto Rico shot, and the Americans pushed it to 87-67 heading to the fourth. Curry had the highlight play of the second half, a long behind-the-back pass to Harden for a bucket.

From Y! Sports
Post Merge: August 23, 2014, 05:38:38 PMUS picks 12-man roster for basketball World Cup

NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. has picked the 12 players it believes can defend its world basketball title.

The Americans kept Derrick Rose and cut All-Star Damian Lillard and three others early Saturday morning, getting their roster down to the limit for the FIBA World Cup of Basketball.

Though team officials had previously said they might carry extra players when they left for Spain on Saturday, and final rosters aren't due until next Friday, the Americans decided there was no need to wait.

Kyle Korver, Gordon Hayward and Chandler Parsons also were cut, shortly after the Americans beat Puerto Rico 112-86 in their final home exhibition game.

''Since taking over the USA Basketball men's national team program in 2005, this was without doubt the most difficult selection process we've gone through,'' USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. ''I can't stress enough the outstanding effort and commitment that has been given by each finalist.

''I also want to make it clear that this is not just about talent - each player is incredibly talented and each player offered us unique skills. In the end it was about assembling the best team, selecting guys who we felt would be able to best play the kind of style we envision this team playing.''

The rest of the roster is: Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Klay Thompson, Andre Drummond, Rudy Gay, DeMar DeRozan, Kenneth Faried and Mason Plumlee.

The Americans can still change the roster in event of injury or withdrawal before Friday, a day before the World Cup opener, which is why they originally considered bringing extra players to Spain.

''We feel that it's better to go with 12 because that's really difficult on anybody if they're not going to be on the team to travel that far,'' coach Mike Krzyzewski said after the game at Madison Square Garden.

Lillard, Drummond, Hayward and DeRozan didn't play in the game, but Krzyzewski stressed afterward the final decisions on the roster hadn't been made - and it turned out two got tickets on the plane.

''I'm excited about the 12 players selected and feel we have excellent versatility and the makings of a really good defensive team,'' Krzyzewski said.

Rose came off the bench and scored six points in 14 minutes. He had sat out the previous game and a couple of practices this week after feeling soreness following last Saturday's exhibition opener against Brazil, his first action since missing most of the last two seasons after a pair of knee surgeries.

But he proved he was healthy enough to make his second U.S. team, having played for the Americans when they won the former world basketball championship in 2010.

''These guys want to play with him. That's part of getting back is to be around a group of peers,'' Krzyzewski said.

Curry scored 20 points, while Harden and Gay had 13 points apiece for the Americans, who will play a final exhibition game in Spain against Slovenia and open the World Cup next Saturday against Finland.

The U.S. led 52-47 after Thompson's buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of an entertaining first half before a divided crowd that included plenty of Puerto Rican fans. Knicks All-Star and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Carmelo Anthony, who is part Puerto Rican, was in the front row along with golfer Rory McIlroy and tennis star Andy Murray.

The Americans lost a number of key players this summer but are still good enough to defend their world title with the roster that remains, though they are vulnerable, which Puerto Rico proved by staying right with them for 20 minutes.

But they can also turn close games into blowouts in a hurry, which they did by outscoring Puerto Rico 14-2 to open the second half, with some energetic plays from Faried on both ends, to open a 66-49 lead.

''The team is looking great,'' Puerto Rico guard Carlos Arroyo said. ''A lot of young guys motivated to represent their country with a lot of pride and honor, and you've got to give respect to that.''

Puerto Rico's veteran backcourt of Arroyo and J.J. Barea has loads of international and NBA experience, and they didn't wilt under relentless U.S. pressure the way so many other teams do. Former Knicks forward Renaldo Balkman also started for the Puerto Ricans, who play in Group B along with regional rival Argentina, Croatia, Greece, Senegal and the Philippines.

Barea scored 16 points and Arroyo had 15.

''Not every game is going to be pretty when we get to Spain, so this is a good test for us and a good experience for everybody on the roster,'' Curry said.

From Y! Sports