Hoops Lebanon slowed down Barako Bull Energy Cola-Philippines by using their height advantage and physical brand of play to secure a 91-80 victory and enter the championship of the 2nd Al Shabab International Basketball Tournament late on Friday night.
“We had to play smart,” Hoops Lebanon American import Carey Williams told Sport360. “They’re (Barako Bull) a good team. They ran fast, shot well from the outside, and executed a lot of screens. We had to switch the picks to slow them down and change the complexion of the game.
“We played physical and we put their big guy in foul trouble. We played good defence and dominated the rebounds,” added Williams, who led all players with 30 points.
Hoops Lebanons were on top by a hairline, 27-26, at the end of the first quarter but Barako Bull’s American import Michael Singletary opened the second quarter with a three-point play after making a strong drive to the basket to give the driver’s seat for the first time to the visiting Philippine club.
Mark Macapagal followed up with a basket and back-to-back triples to complete an 11-2 run which put Barako Bull ahead by eight, 37-29, with still eight minutes remaining in the second frame.
Both teams exchanged baskets but Barako Bull were more dominant with their running game until Hoops Lebanon forced them to slow down and dictated the tempo of the game.
Hoops Lebanon coach Omar Hasino said: “I know how to use my guns. We stopped their point guard and we controlled the boards.”
Hoops Lebanon silenced Barako Bull for more than three minutes and Williams and Harold Jamison dominated the inside paint to cut down the deficit to just one, 48-47, at the turn, whilst Singletary was sitting on the bench for early foul trouble.
In the third quarter, a technical foul given to Danny Seigle for second motion, after he was hit on the abdomen by Hassan Laqes, completely changed the complexion of the game. Hoops Lebanon took the lead, 70-65, going into the final period and never looked back.
“We were in foul trouble and we lost our rhythm,” Barako Bull Serbian coach Rajko Toroman. “They (Hoops) played hard and tough and we could not defend the inside. They dominated because of their size and Singletary lost his rhythm because of foul trouble.”
Hoops Lebanon will face hosts Al Shabab Club who earlier escaped Al Sahel, 94-87. Rashid Nazer AlZaabi top-scored for the host team with 24 points.
Hoops Lebanon 91 – Carey Williams 30; Harold Jamison 21; Husein Kansora 16; Husein Toba 8; Hassan Laqes 4; Ali Fakhareldin 4; Amir Eid 3; Tareq Kharsan 3; Konstantin Qudsi 2
Barako Bull-Philippines 80 – Michael Singletary 23; Allein Maliksi 13; Doug Kramer 13; Mark Macapagal 8; Danny Seigle 7; Emman Monfort 7; Keith Jensen 4; Michael Pennisi 3; Jonas Villanueva 2
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