Gilas boys blast Kazakhstan for first win in FIBA U16 Asian Championship 2023

Gilas Pilipinas vented ire against Kazakhstan, 66-42, to register their first win in Group D of the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship at the Al-Rayyan Indoor Hall in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday, September 19 (Manila time).

Gilas boys ran riot in the second half as they used their stifling defense to limit the Kazakhs to just 12 points after a poor second-quarter finish that allowed the latter to take a 30-25 lead.

Kiefer Louie Alas tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, and two assists for the Josh Reyes-mentored squad that improved to a 1-1 win-loss record after losing to China in their opening game.

Joaquin Gabriel Ludovice added 11 on a 5/11 shooting clip, while Bonn Ervin Daja chipped 10 markers and eight boards.

Daja and Noah Banal knocked down back-to-back triples to begin the fierce 14-0 Gilas rally to pull away from Kazakhstan after a 33-all tie with less than five minutes to play in the third period.

After scoring just 1/11 from beyond the arc in the first half, the nationals sank five of their six treys in the decisive third quarter, which they closed up by 14 points, 47-33, going to the final frame.

Though the Kazakhs came within seven, 49-42, with 6:32 left in the fourth period, the Southeast Asian crew dropped an unanswered 17-0 bomb to decimate the former.

Reyes' wards brought a slim 17-16 advantage in the second quarter before the troops of Maxim Rakhimov stepped on the pedal to turn things around for a five-point lead at the half.

Gilas will face Malaysia for their last group assignment on Wednesday, September 20, at 12:30 a.m., Manila time.

The Malaysians lost to Group D winner China, now 2-0, 95-33, on the same day the Philippines won over Kazakhstan.