The Energen Piilpinas Under-16 national team learned that the hard way as they lost their semifinal encounter against Korea, 67-58, in the FIBA Asia Under-16 Championships in Nha Trang City, Vietnam.
The U-16 squad started off with the typical strong start that has so often been the norm in this tournament. But Korea took advantage of their superior size, controlling the boards and stifling the Filipino running game in the second quarter as they slowly pulled away to take an eight-point advantage to the halftime break.
Heo Hoon and Kim Nakhyeon both scored eight points in the crucial second period.
The Koreans held the Philippines at bay for much of the third period opening up a lead of as high as 13 points, but Hubert Cani, who momentarily stepped out after getting a cut on his head when he collided with the teeth of his defender, returned to score five consecutive points to bring the lead back down to eight late in the third.
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