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Gilas Pilipinas applaud the crowd after their win over Saudi Arabia in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. FIBA.basketball
The support of Filipino fans in Jeddah played a huge role in Gilas Pilipinas' victory over Saudi Arabia in the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers, national team coach Chot Reyes said.
The Philippines recovered from a sluggish start on Sunday night and pulled away in the second half for a 76-63 victory against Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City. It was the third straight win for Gilas Pilipinas in the qualifiers.
They also completed a sweep of the fifth window after having beaten Jordan last Thursday.
Only a limited number of Filipino fans watched as Gilas outlasted Jordan, 74-66, in Amman but more supporters were allowed in Jeddah, to the delight of the national team.
"I actually acknowledged last night, when I talked to one of the officials of the federation, and I told them, kudos to you for opening it up to Filipinos, because [it's] unlike in the other places that we've played," Reyes said ahead of their game.
The Gilas fans played a factor in their win, said Reyes, as they cheered the team through a shaky start that saw them settle for a 16-all tie at the end of the first quarter.
"I think we got a lot of energy from the crowd. They really gave us a huge boost," said Reyes. "They just wouldn't allow us to lose, until we hit our stride and finally hit some shots in the second half, in the third quarter."
The Philippines seized control of the game in the second half, leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter. Four players scored in double-digits, with Dwight Ramos and Roger Pogoy each contributing 13 points while Kai Sotto had 11 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks.
Scottie Thompson also continued his fine play for the flag, with nine points, nine boards, three assists, and two steals.
"We just want to thank God for the win tonight, and of course to all the Filipinos out there coming to support us," Thompson said after their win.
The Philippines improved to 5-3 in Pool E with the result, while Saudi Arabia dropped to 2-6. Still, the game was a far closer affair than their first encounter, when a Jordan Clarkson-powered Gilas team crushed the visiting Saudi Arabia squad, 84-46, at the Mall of Asia Arena in August.
Reyes had nothing but praise for the home team.
"Kudos, congratulations to the Saudi national team. I thought they came out and they played hard, they came in with a very good game plan," he said. "We knew the high quality of this team, and so we had mentally prepared ourselves to struggle."
"But, luckily, we stayed patient through our early struggles."
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