Off the wire
• Fixtures of 2015 FIBA Asia Championship  • Results of 2015 FIBA Asia Championship  • Urgent: Syria agrees on UN envoy plan for Syria crisis  • Roundup: China end Iran's title defence, to meet Philippines in final  • Putin in Paris to bridge rifts over Syrian conflict ahead of quartet talks  • Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Oct. 2  • Air Malta partakes in donation raising for breast cancer  • U.S. Sept. job gains weaker than expected  • British construction PMI surges to 59.9 in Sept.  • Nearly 250,000 visitors welcomed in Malta in August  
You are here: 　 Home

The Philippines downs Japan 81-70 to meet China in Asian Championship final

Xinhua, October 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Philippines upset Japan with a 27-16 fourth quarter, heading into the final to meet China in Asian Championship of men' s basketball here on Friday.

Former NBA player Andray Blatche had nine points to lift the Philippines 16-17 with six Japan player scored in the first quarter. Hiejima Makoto answered with 16 points in the following quarter to make it even for Japan 39-39 before the halftime break.

The third quarter witnessed a 15-15 tie before the final 10 minutes. In the last period, the Philippines already established eight-point lead after Blatche' s fade away. But the Japaneses managed to narrow the deficit down to four points. With Hiejima Makoto missing a key shot behind the arc, Takeuchi Joji made a turnover by handing the ball and the victory to the Philippines during Japan' s attack. The runner-up of 2013 Championship again made to the final with a 81-70 victory. Japan was outscored 16-27 in the last quarter.

Andray Blatche had a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds. Hiejima Makoto finished with a match-high 28 points and two assists. Endi