(The Web Manager apologizes for this late posting due to downed internet service at site)

Kuala Lumpur 1910 hrs. - When two great warriors collide, they do not immediately draw swords and launch frantic attacks at each other. But instead, they size each other up carefully calculating each other strengths, weaknesses, respecting each others capabilities. Such was the scene of the first quarter when the two first day winners met on court to do battle. The RP youth team struggled to maintain a vulnerable 6 point lead throughout the quarter only to see that lead decay as they lost the quarter by 1 point 20-21.

Tension filled the air as even the usually boisterous Filipino OFW crowd, there to support their home team anew, spoke in whispers with only a sporadic “GO PHILIPPINES!” breaking the silence from time to time. But this situation did not last long as coach Franz Pumaren gathered his troop to make fine tuning adjustments during the break. “You are the better team” Pumaren was heard telling his wards. “You are better trained, better conditioned. You are more talented. But your Thai opponents are playing with a bigger heart right now! They are playing like they want this more than you do!”

That sparked the famed indomitable Filipino spirit on our players as they held down the Thais to only 15 points in the second quarter simultaneously launching a 26 point attack that showed the score telling a different story at half time with the Filipinos leading 46-36. So infectious was that spirit that it sent our OFW supporters cheering and screaming their lungs out in full support and approval of the work our boys were putting in. Thailand made a brave attempt to stop Nokia Pilipinas’ onslaught by keeping us down to only 16 points in the third. However they could only muster only 21 points to trail at the end of the third quarter 57-62. “These boys are now benefiting from the training and experience that they got from their exposure in the PBL” said Dindo Pumaren – assisting his brother with coaching chores. “Hindi sila bineybi doon (they were not treated as babies there) and now they are tougher and able to take a lot more pressure.” In the end, the RP Youth boys uncorked a 30 point explosion that saw them leading by 16 points at the final buzzer 92-76.

Standouts for this game were Joseph Emmanuel Tolentino with a game high 18 points and 5 assists, Norberto Torres, Jaypee Mendoza, and Ryan Roose Garcia contributed in double figures at 14 points each.

Game Summary:

Quarter scores: 1^st qtr – Phi 20 Tha 21, 2^nd qtr Phi 26 Tha 15, 3^rd qtr Phi 16 Tha 21, 4^th qtr Phi 30 Tha 19 Total Phi 92 Tha 76

Individual Scores:

Tolentino 18, Garcia 14, J. Mendoza 14, Torres 14, De Guzman 9, Sangalang 8, Pascual 6, Golla 4, Banal 0, Manguera 0, Terso 0