HANGZHOU—The men’s 3×3 team beat Hongkong, 21-15, to ongkonHmove closer to a sweep of Pool A in the 19th Asian Games basketball competitions Wednesday at the Deqing Geographic Information Park Basketball Court.
John Ray Pasaol and Bismarck Lina powered the team to its third straight win in the group.
Lina and Pasaol had seven points each while presiding over a short but telling run that turned the game around in favor of the Filipinos.
Held to a 4-4 standoff, they scored four straight points as Gilas took the lead for good, 8-4.
Justin Sanchez and JB Sajonia finished with four and three points, respectively.
Despite already assured of advancing to the quarterfinals, Gilas wants nothing but an outright berth in the knockout stage which it can clinch with a win over Mongolia on Friday for a sweep of the group stage.
“That’s what we like, win in as many games,” head coach Lester Del Rosario said.
Gilas takes a needed rest on Thursday.
Chinese Taipei (2-1), Mongolia (1-1), Jordan (0-2) and Hong Kong (0-2) are with the Philippines in Group A.
The top team in each group will automatically earn a quarterfinal slot, while the next two teams will make it to the qualifications where the four other quarterfinalists will be determined.
The scores:
Philippines 21–Pasaol 7, Lina 7, Sanchez 4, Sajonia 3.
Hong Kong 15—Wong 5, Tsang 5, Lam 3, Cheung 2.
