Team Pilipinas routs Indonesia to rule SEABA

MANILA, Philippines – Powerade-Team Pilipinas cruised to a 98-68 win over hosts Indonesia to claim the 8th Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) crown at the Angkasapura Lanud Basketball Hall in Medan, Indonesia. The Yeng Guiao-coached RP 5 thus secured one of the two slots for the FIBA-Asia men's basketball championship in Taijin, China this August. Indonesia, for placing second in the four-day tournament, also earned a spot in the FIBA-Asia meet. After a tight first quarter, where Indonesia even held a slim lead, the PBA-backed national squad broke the game wide-open in the second period using a 12-0 run for a 46-32 halftime lead. An Arwind Santos pass to a streaking James Yap, who finished the fastbreak play, capped that scoring spurt for the RP 5. It was smooth sailing after that with the closest the Indonesians could get is at 60-43 with 4:31 left in the third period. They enjoyed their biggest lead of 39 points, 95-56, with four minutes left in the final period. All of Team Pilipinas’ elimination round wins are in lopsided fashion: Malaysia, 100-73, 103-64, Indonesia, and Singapore, 117-69. – GMANews.TV