Smart Gilas Pilipinas turns back Japan, marches to semis

MARCUS Douthit had 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds while Cebuano Dondon Hontiveros canned in pivotal three-pointers in the final canto to lead the Smart Gilas Pilipinas to a come-from-behind 94-78 win over Japan in the William Jones Cup at the Hsinjhuang Stadium in New Taipei City.

The win pushed the Nationals to the semifinals, where it will face reigning back-to-back champion Iran. Iran defeated Jordan, 68-67, in another game.

The Filipinos completed the victory despite the absence of shooter JV Casio, who will be out the rest of the tournament because of an injured knee.

Hontiveros made 12 of his 14 points in the fourth to help the Nationals recover against the hot-shooting Japanese.

He also played good defense against Japan’s Keijuro Matsui, who led his team with 27 points.

Matsui went perfect from beyond the arc but Hontiveros, who is one of the reinforcements of the team from the PBA, played sticky defense on him in the final minutes of the game. /Copy Editor Brian J. Ochoa