RP Olympic basketball dream alive

For the Philippines, the 22-year losing streak to China could not have ended at a better time, at a better place and at a better tournament.

And in Tokushima, Japan last night, the Filipino cagers may have also shaved a few hundred kilometers out of their long and treacherous trail to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

With their backs against the ‘Great Wall’, the Nationals scaled new heights, coming back from several double-digit deficits to pull off an inspiring 79-74 win over a Chinese squad badly missing its biggest stars.

The victory was the country’s first against the Asian powerhouse since the 1985 Asian Basketball Confederation Championships in Malaysia and it kept the Philippines’ hopes of making the quarterfinals alive in the Fiba-Asia Championships, an Olympic qualifying tournament.

Playmaker Jimmy Alapag stood way taller than his 5-foot-9 frame and Mark Caguioa shrugged off a sputtering start to combine forces with Kelly Williams in an end-game blitz that left the Chinese gasping for air and, perhaps, led them to an improbable early exit in this 16-nation tournament.

The Filipinos are not out of the woods yet, though.

They need to whip a Jordanian squad, reinforced by two naturalized Americans, in its final elimination-round match in the so-called “Group of Death” at 7 tonight.

Iran, which dealt the Philippines a 75-69 defeat Saturday night, was playing Jordan, a 78-65 winner over China, as of press deadline last night.

Limping as he left the court against Iran, Alapag won a late fitness battle and tallied a game-high 25 points on four triples, the last one at the 2:15 mark in the fourth quarter kept the Filipinos’ heads above water, 71-67.

With China enjoying a 12-point buffer midway in the third, Alapag fished fouls, hit a trey, conspiring with Kerby Raymundo, Dondon Hontiveros and Williams to put the Philippines within one 56-57 entering the fourth.

By then, China’s offense was in disarray by the Filipinos little-room-to-breathe defense. The Chinese woes were compounded when chief playmaker Ying Ming was forced to his fifth foul by Hontiveros.

A perimeter jumper from JJ Helterbrand on the opening play of the final period capped a 14-0 bomb that gave the Philippines the lead, 58-57, before Chen Chen’s triple swung the advantage back to China, 60-58.

That would prove to be China’s last taste of the lead as Helterbrand scored on a follow-up, Raymundo finished a slick spin move and Asi Taulava made another putback that was part of a 10-4 burst that made it 68-62, 5:23 remaining.

And when Qiang Bian stroked home a triple to trim the gap to one, 67-68, Alapag immediately put the dagger into the Chinese’ hearts with that booming triple that may have reverberated throughout basketball-crazy Philippines.

The last time China threatened was at 75-74 on Chen Chen’s trey with 18.4 seconds left but Caguioa, who bungled a fast-break lay-up two possessions earlier, made up for his mistake with another twinner to ice the game, 7 seconds left.

Williams registered the Philippines tenth and last steal to thwart a potential game-tying shot and the versatile Fil-American pegged the final count by converting two foul shots.

A day after shooting an atrocious 22 percent from the field against Iran, the Filipinos improved considerably at 36 percent.

Even so, it wasn’t the only glaring statistic.

There were lesser mistakes, 12 turnovers as against 16 on China, and more hustle that reflected on the rebounding battle.

With the hardworking Williams at his best, the Nationals hauled 39 rebounds, 19 on the offensive end, while China, which did not have the luxury of fielding the likes of Yao Ming, Li Janlian and Wang Zhizhi, collared 31. *