My worst play-by-play blog experience ever (FIBA-ASIA 3rd Place: Philippines versus Korea)

Hur Jae is one of the most well-known Korean superstars. I love him most of the times but I HATE HIM RIGHT NOW!

Japeth Aguilar is wearing a t-shirt. He will probably play in this game. In the singing of the national anthem, Kelly Williams knows the tune while Asi Taulava and Jimmy Alapag are trying their best to sing it. That’s nice.  

Hey... Olsen Racela is with Mico Halili in commentating duties.

This is funny.

Racela doesn’t hate Korea but he hates the Korean national basketball team.  

Opening tip. JV Casio is starting. That’s good. Marcus Douthit starts his scoring barrage with a manic layup. Anyway, Chris Lutz as expected is shadowing Moon Tae Jung. Korea calls for time as both squads are struggling to find their shots.

Four minutes has gone by and Marcus Douthit is the only person that scored. Both teams are babying their shots. Kim Joo Sung changed that at the 5 minute mark. Kelly Williams missed both free throws and Kim Joo Sung hits a triple.

KELLY WILLIAMS WITH A JAM FROM A DOUTHIT PASS!

YEAH!

And then a Marcio Lassiter drop pass to Douthit gets a basket and a bonus free throw to send the Philippines up by two, 7 to 5. Chris Tiu bungled a floater and Team Pinas missed a fast break play but Jimmy Alapag scores on a fast break three! Jimmy Alapag missed a layup but Douthit tips the shot in to make the game 12 to 5. Kim Yong Hwan makes his charities to make it 12 to 7 but Kelly Williams sinks a “banda” jump shot to make it 14 to 7. Kelly Williams almost makes a Hail Mary shot to finish the first quarter 14 to 7.

The Olympic Qualifiers will be on July 2 to 8.

Easy task!  

Second quarter underway! Lassiter hustles to keep the ball alive to result in Douthit going to the free throw line but he splits his charities. Meanwhile Douthit was just called for an offensive foul. Jimmy Alapag steals but the Koreans countersteals it. Minutes later, TJ Moon nails an easy hoop to make it 15 to 9. Jimmy Alapag then again nails a fast break three!

I like Mico Halili right now.

Timeout.

Asi Taulava remembers 2002. He is now in the game. For the fourth time, Korea bungles a layup shot. Olsen Racela is thinking like a coach. Lassiter blocks a Korean and Mico is dissing Olsen Racela for saying Kuya Marcus Douthit. Kim Joo Sung nails a basket. He has 7 of Korea’s 11 markers. Then Ranidel De Ocampo strikes a triple and then he forces a Korean turnover. Team Pilipinas needs to check their free throws as Douthit splits his free throws. Douthit is again fouled and this time he hits both charity shots. Kim Joo Sung attempts a shot and gets Douthit’s second foul. Kim splits his free throws. Kim Jong Kyu runs and scores and unfortunately Chris Lutz was called for an unsportsmanlike foul! The Philippines sues for time.

The slomo cams are cool.

With the foul the lead just got trimmed, 24 to 15.

Marcus Douthit got hurt via an elbow to the head.

That should sting.

Kim Jong Kyu then goes off with a slam! The lead has been reduced to 24 to 17!

At the end of the first half, Philippines 24 – Korea 17!

Korea has parked Ha Seung Jin on their bench and I don’t know if they are making the Philippine coaching staff guess but they need to check this development in the second half. Korea with 11 percent 3-point shooting? Team Pilipinas should be wary on that stat.

Third quarter commencing. Chris Tiu and JV Casio scoring back-to-back shots. Kim Jong Kyu gets his second slam in the game. JV Casio then sends the ball flying to a Kelly Williams thunderous jam! Korea quickly calls for a timeout! The 6-0 blitz upgrades the lead to 11 points. Kang Byung Hyun scores from an aggressive move but fails to convert on the bonus free throw. Kelly Williams gets fouled and splits his free throws. We need to check our free throws. Kang Byung Hyun nails a triple – which is only Korea’s second and then Kang nails a fast break. Team Pilipinas calls for a timeout to quell the uprising.

As of this moment, Philippines still has the lead, 31 to 26. Chris Tiu has four fouls. Lee Jung Suk slices the lead down to three and Mac Baracael comes in. JIMMY ALAPAG FAST BREAK THREE! Jimmy Alapag is so cute when he fouls. Anyway, Chris Lutz hits a fast break layup! Kang Byung Hyun got fouled and he splits his charities. Lutz again hits a three! I think this is his tourney-high if I’m not mistaken. Marcus Douthit is smiling after a streaking layup although he fails to hit his bonus shot. Cho Sung Min capitalizes on a Douthit missed opportunity! Douthit splits his charities. Cho Sung Min hits a triple to make the lead 42 to 34. Oh Se Keun nails a lay-in but Jimmy Alapag answers with a triple! Alapag then explodes to the ring despite the hands of the defenders and score!

At the end of the third, Philippines is up, 47 to 36.

In the fourth quarter, Kim Joo Sung nails a J. Douthit is again named and Racela mentions the nice thing about Baracael’s entry. Anyway, Douthit scores both charities. Kim Joo Sung is then called with an illegal pick but TJ Moon steals the ball and Lutz had no choice but to give up a foul! TJ Moon has only 3 points. In China, he was brought down to six. Moon then scores via a powerful drive. Baracael is doing impact moves and nails a jumper! Kim Joo Sung scores on the inside but that doesn’t matter with Jimmy Alapag nailing his fifth triple! But Cho Sung Min strikes and scores on a triple to send the game to 54 to 46. Kim Joo Sung brings the lead down to six and the Philippines calls for a timeout. Alapag should have just nailed that because the refs wouldn’t care of the foul he was trying to fish.

Kelly Williams was called violating the inside by forcibly creating space and we just reach the six minute mark. Cho Sung Min gets free and nails a jumper. And then after Douthit missed his shot he tracks the ball to nail the lay-in. Douthit then scores on the bonus free throw to send the game to 57 to 50. Douthit then did something scary by dribbling the ball. What’s lucky though was Kim Joo Sung fouls him and that was his fifth foul and it sends Korea to the penalty. Then Douthit hits both free throws. Ok Sekeun hits a close shot and after a Douthit miss and a Moon botched attempt, Ok Sekeun nails back-to-back to close the lead down to a four-point lead.

Kelly Williams sends the lead to six!

Chris Tiu fouls out after hitting phantom hitting Ok Sekeun and Ok scores again! Douthit zooms to the lane and gets another foul. Douthit makes both free throws. Cho Sung Min nails a triple and gets the fifth foul of Chris Lutz. Both Chris’ have fouled out and Cho makes the lead down to two. Casio turns the ball and Baracael stops a Moon shot. Then Douthit scores a basket to increase the lead back to four with two minutes remaining in the game!

KAPIT BAYAN!

Cho Sung Min strikes another triple and the lead is now down to one! Baracael misses a shot and then TJ Moon scores a triple and it gives Korea the first taste of the lead.

GUIDE US TO VICTORY!

Kim Jong Kyu fouls out after attempting to stop Douthit. Douthit on the line. Douthit hits the first. Douthit misses it but they recover. Douthit then gets blocked by TJ Moon and now the ball will be jumped. Privilege arrow goes to the Philippines. Nakaw attempt from Kelly Williams and he will go to the line. OK Sekeun fouls out! Williams missed his first. Williams missed both. Racela is reliving 2002. Baracael fouls Cho. Cho makes the first. Cho makes the second.

Make or break time.

Jimmy missed the penetration but Douthit retrieves the ball. Two free throws for Douthit. Douthit makes the first. Douthit missed! But Lassiter gets the ball and he is fouled! Lee Jung Suk fouls out!

PLEASE MAKE TWO!

Lassiter scores the first! Lassiter missed the second! Douthit has the ball but Cho Sung Min steals the ball! REMEMBER 2002 AND MAKE THEM PAY GILAS! I BELIEVE!

Casio throws a triple.

Korea wins the match 70 to 68.

I hate it. From Lee Sang Min to Cho Sung Min.

I am too depressed to even compliment what I just witness. Our boys played well in the first 36 minutes and then we just fold like that... like I said, it feels like 2002 all over again.

Don’t get me wrong. I am still proud of their accomplishments but they should be more.

Where is our happy ending?

Game over.