Photo from: gmanetwork.com
But the Lebanese team didn’t go down easy. Despite the early aggressive play of Gilas, Lebanon kept the powehouse team on their defensive toes as they moved to close the gap.
By half time, the gap was cut to five points, 37-32, with Gilas still in control.
The third quarter was the turning point of the match for Gilas. After another wave of points by Castro, Gilas was leading double-digits, 46-34, with four minutes left in the third quarter. The Lebanese team tried to fight back, but the quarter ended at 57-49 in favor of Gilas.
Lebanon tried to get back at the final quarter, hitting late game three-pointers and trying their best for a last-minute overtake. But an aggressive Gilas didn’t give them the chance to grab the lead, and pushed them back to seal another win.