DUBAI // Top midsized college basketball programmes in the US are known for taking intimate arenas, packing them with fans and making things really, really loud.
Al Ahli Arena had that atmosphere when scores of Filipinos filled the building to see their kids play Angola in their opening match at the 2014 Fiba Under 17 World Championship.
The Filipinos, whose tallest player was 1.9 metres, were ultimately overpowered in an 82-72 loss against an Angolan side who had six players standing 1.98m or taller.
But you would not have known who led nearly the whole game by the noise coming from the crowd.
Click here for a photo gallery from all the action on Day 1
From the opening tip-off, the Filipino crowd cheered as loudly as they could for just about everything. If a player took a shot, they cheered. If he made it, they cheered louder.
Steal, cheers. Rebound, cheers. Foul, cheers. Foul against the Philippines, passionate jeers.
“It gives me more confidence” when the crowd is loud, said Philippines guard Jose Go IV, who logged 13 points, six rebounds and two assists in the loss. “Everyone cheers and shouts and it affects our game because it gives us more confidence in the game. It’s like they are my teammates also. I know that they are with me in the game.”
The Philippines, undersized as they were, tried to counter that disadvantage by playing a fast-paced style that, for much of the first half, kept things relatively close.
While they were handily out-rebounded, 70-46, they had 10 steals to Angola’s two with their hounding defence and commitment to an up-tempo game.
“That’s our game; we play like that,” Go said. “We play faster always. We know we are small and can’t compete with the jumping so we go for every loose ball. If the ball’s out we want to be the first one to get it.”
It was hard to find an empty seat at the Al Ahli Arena, which has a listed capacity of 2,806. Many Philippines fans who could not immediately find a place to sit, stood wherever there was an open space.
“Every time the Philippines has a game we support, whether loss or win,” said one fan, Joel Manzano, on his way to the car park.
His friend, JR Tumaquip, said that the pair had travelled to Iran for the 2013 Fiba Under 16 Asia championships and that they were not the only ones.
Another fan, Alfred Pador, said the Philippines has “so much love for basketball”.
“We were very, very happy to all be together at the game,” Pador said. “They played a good game.”
The Philippines twins Michael Nieto, the captain, and his brother Matt, struggled. They had eight points between them and Michael Nieto fouled out.
Star guard Jolo Mendoza led the team with 16 points, but on seven-for-26 shooting.
Angola’s 1.98m forward, Joao Jungo, dominated with 26 points on 11-for-16 shooting, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. Angola had seven blocks.
It may not seem like much consolation, but Greece managed something no other team has in the history of the championship last night - stayed within 10 points of the United States.
The Americans’ 83-73 win was their narrowest in the history of the three stagings of the competition. Diamond Stone, a 6ft 10ins centre, led the team with a 22-point, 10-rebound performance.
“Greece is a great team. We just came out of the gate, kept attacking the rim,” Stone said. “I think we came out today thinking we were gonna blow this team out and it wasn’t that easy, so I think now we know we got that chip on our shoulder for the rest of the games. Can’t take games easy, just push it.”
The Greeks’ 7ft 1ins centre Giorgios Papagiannis supplied 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Argentina started their Group D play in dominant form, beating Egypt 74-39.
Maximo Fjellerup paced the Argentinians with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
The first upset of the tournament came from Puerto Rico, in Group C, as they shocked European U16 champions Spain in a two-point 67-65 squeaker.
Leandro Allende led the Puerto Ricans with 16 points and Arnaldo Toro contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Ivan Gandia proved the hero, drawing a foul with two seconds left and converting both shots for the two-point edge.
France received perhaps the best individual contribution on Day 1, with Stephane Gombauld scoring 28 on 13-of-18 shooting and grabbing 20 rebounds in a 76-66 win over Canada to stake their claim as Group B’s best side.
Dejan Vasiljevic recorded a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds in Australia’s 97-84 Group B win over Japan.
The Aussies’ 65-42 rebounding advantage, paced by 6ft 11ins centre Isaac Humphries’ 14, helped them edge Japan.
Serbia established themselves as favourites in Group D with an 80-68 win over China.
jraymond@thenational.ae
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