The Philippines played hard against Greece in a FIBA World Cup game on Monday but ultimately lost.
Andray Blatche once again led Gilas but had difficulty making shots and playing in general due to an injured knee.
The Philippines will now look to the remaining three games in pool play, as at least two wins are needed to advance to the knockout rounds.
Smart Gilas is in Group B along with Argentina, Croatia, Greece, Puerto Rico, and Senegal. It will play every team in the group once during pool play. The top four teams after that advance to the knockout rounds.
The Philippines will play Argentina on Monday, Puerto Rico on Wednesday, and Senegal on Thursday. Friday is designated a rest day before knockout play starts next Saturday, September 6.
Check out the live score updates from during the game, as well as video highlights, below.
Fourth Quarter
--Gilas is still in the game. With eight minutes left, they’ve cut the lead to 10 again. The score is 60-50.
--Printezis makes a jumper to up the lead. After a Norwood miss, Vasileiadis makes a 3-pointer to up the lead to 65-50.
--Greece is maintaining a 15-point lead despite Gilas’ best efforts. Blatche in particular is toughing it out with an injured knee, but the Philippines doesn’t seem to have enough to overcome the Greeks. There’s still time left, though.
--Blatche makes two free throws to cut the lead to 75-63, but LA Tenorio on the other end gets called for an unsportsmanlike foul.
--Blatche makes several turnovers, one off a rebound and another following a steal. The score is still 76-63.
--Papanikolaou hits two free throws for Greece to up the lead but Tenorio hits a 3 to cut the lead to 10 with 1:11 to go.
--It’s over--Greece won 82-70. Gilas played hard but couldn’t defeat the Greeks.
Final Stats: Blatche led the Philippines with 21 points, but on 6-18 shooting. He missed all of his 3-point attempts. Fajardo chippin in 10, the only other Gilas player in double figures. Marc Pingris chipped in 7 points. Printezis led Greece with 25 points.
Overall, Gilas shot 35 percent and 27 percent from 3-point range. Greece shot 43 percent, and 23 percent from 3-point range.
