If you’re one of the many Gilas fans praying for a miracle, then you definitely followed this one. The Dominicans managed to not only sweep Group A but also helped keep the door open for The Philippines’ hopes of advancing and automatically qualifying to the Olympics.
75-67 was the score when the final buzzer sounded but it was a very hard-fought battle throughout and Angola was even up heading into the 4th quarter.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing to point out is how Karl Anthony Towns managed to keep himself from picking up his 5th foul despite playing the entire 4th quarter.
KAT himself said “For us to have a chance to win, I know I needed to stay in the game.”
“I was just doing what is being asked of me, what is needed. It wasn’t to score 30. Its not a double-double. It was to finish the game.”
And that’s exactly what it was as he was massive in the last 10 mins on both offense and defense as the other team obviously had to worry about where he is on the floor. He even knocked down 2 clutch freethrows down the stretch.
Now, like KAT, can Gilas also do what is needed? And that is to play the game of their life at 8PM tonight as they need to at least win by 13 against a very formidable Italian team who is also fighting for their right to advance.
Images by FIBA
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