The Philippines took immediate control in the first frame and kept the pressure until the end of the fourth quarter, not letting Indonesia keep with single-digit deficit.

Cebuano wingman Roger Pogoy was the main man of the team to toss off the Indonesia men’s national basketball team with 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field.

While the whole team unified with four players pouring double digits, Gilas also anchored a solid defense of a total of 17 steals.

“We wanted to start with a very good defensive effort kasi when we scouted them, grabe si Kwek. Deadly talaga siya. The game plan for him would be to really make him a focal point and make sure to stop him,” Gilas coach Chot Reyes

Singaporean player, Leon Kwek did not do well with six points on record at the match as well as the whole team with no player pouring double digits.

The Philippines will take a break on Friday before facing Malaysia and then Indonesia.

The Scores: 

Philippines 88 – Pogoy 19, Lopez 18, Tungcab 11, Wright 11, Fajardo 8, T. Ravena 5, K. Ravena 5, Tautuaa 5, Rosario 2, Go 2, Navarro 2, Montalbo 0. 

Singapore 37 – Lavin 8, Toh 7, Kwek 6, Low 5, Mah 3, Fokoff 2, Lim 2, Crump 2, Sim 2, Y. Lim 0, Liew 0, Goh 0. 

Quarters: 17-7; 43-17; 61-27; 88-37.