Perlas pulls huge comeback to steal win from Thailand

FILE PHOTO/ 2017 SEA Games (PNA Photo)

MANILA — Perlas Pilipinas showed on Wednesday night what the Filipino “puso” is made of.

Perlas pulled a comeback from 15 points down to stun Thailand, 69-67, in their SEA Games women’s basketball game at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

Perlas bubbled an early lead but delivered the goods when it mattered the most. Perlas surged ahead at the start of the game, taking an 18-13 lead after the first quarter.

Thailand, however, dropped 32 points while limiting Perlas to only 12 in the second quarter to go up, 45-30, at halftime. Thailand would keep the double-digit lead intact for most of the second half.

Perlas, however, went on a 12-0 run capped by six unanswered points off steals to tie the game, 65-all, with 1:46 left.

Naruemol Banmoo scored on a layup to put Thailand ahead again, 67-65, with 1:33 to go. Analyn Almazan, however, made two free throws to force another deadlock at 67-all with 46 seconds on the clock.

Banmoo tried to put Thailand back up again, but she missed a jumper and France Cabinbin found Aliana Lim inside for the layup with 11 seconds remaining.

With no timeout left, Juthamas Jantakan was forced to take a challenged runner with time winding down but misfired, and Almazan cleared the board to preserve the Perlas win.

Lim finished with 16 points, two rebounds and three assists, while Janine Pontejos added 14 points, one assist and three steals for Perlas, which now ties Indonesia for first place at 3-1.

Almazan came up with a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds with one assist and four steals, while Afril Bernardino flirted with her own double-double after tallying 10 caroms and nine markers with a steal and a block to her name.

Banmoo had 12 points of her own for Thailand, which suffered its first loss in the tournament after back-to-back wins. (PNA)

Box Scores:

Philippines 69 – Lim 16, Pontejos 14, Almazan 13, Bernardino 9, Cabinbin 6, Animam 5, Abaca 4, Resultay 2, Sambile 0, Tongco 0, Dy 0, Castro 0

Thailand 67 – Banmoo 12, Klanbut 10, Jantakan 9, Maihom 7, Mathuros 6, Kunchuan 6, Yothanan 5, Phromat 4, Saechua 4, Buapa 4, Kaichaiyapoom 0

Quarterscores: 18-13, 30-45, 51-61, 69-67