Gilas finished with three wins as against three defeats in their European camp.
Gilas Pilipinas started its 16-day European training camp with two losses. The team will end it with a win.
Playing arguably its best game in this camp, Gilas avenged its 90-80 loss to a Lithuanian selection with an emphatic 125-102 victory on Saturday in Kausas, Lithuania. It was the team’s third win in five tune-up games in two weeks.
Unlike its four previous games, Gilas this time avoided a slow start, keeping in step with the Lithuanian side and ending the first frame down by just 2 points, 30-28. The teams stayed in lockstep the entire second quarter, with Gilas connecting on nine triples to keep pace with the taller Lithuanian five.
The nationals, however, broke the game wide open in the third with some astounding defense, shutting down their opponents to 10 measly points while scoring 37 of their own. The 27-point turnaround gave Gilas a 98-73 advantage—one that they would not relinquish up until the final buzzer.
June Mar Fajardo led a balanced Gilas attack with 28 big points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field and 14-for-15 from the charity stripe, to go along with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
Justin Brownlee chipped in 24 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks, while Kiefer Ravena added 18 markers and 6 caroms. Cjay Perez, Rhenz Abando, and Jamie Malonzo also finished in double digits, contributing 14, 12, and 11 points, respectively.
Lithuania’s Tomas Zdanavicius, who led the Lithuanian selection the other day with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assists, was held to just 6 markers this time around.
Gilas is scheduled to arrive back in Manila on July 10.