ALLAN THE MAN

Although both NBA’s Andray Blatche and Asian Games-bound Marcus Douthit play the most significant roles in the Philippine national team, team captain Jimmy Alapag pointed out key differences between the two naturalized players.

In an interview on DZMM’s Fastbreak, Alapag said Blatche is more of an outside player due to his orientation in the NBA.

With Andray Blatche out of the Asian Games, Gilas Pilipinas will be tapping his fellow naturalized player Marcus Douthit for the 2014 Asian Games.

Also joining Gilas in Incheon, South Korea is team captain Jimmy Alapag, who will be stepping in for injured Jason Castro.

Klay Thompson helped the reigning world champions USA recover from a sluggish start to take a 96-68 win over Lithuania in the Semi-Finals of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and return to the Final of FIBA's flagship event for the second consecutive time.

The USA now travel to Madrid to play the winners of Friday's Semi-Final between Serbia and France in Sunday's title game at the Palacio de los Deportes.

“We’re not healthy at all. We’re a banged up team.”

That’s the condition of the Philippine national men’s basketball team after some bone-wearying matches in their recently-concluded stint in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, according to their head coach, Chot Reyes.

France and Serbia created a couple of seismic shocks in the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Wednesday by knocking Brazil and tournament hosts Spain out of the tournament.

Both the French and Serbians avenged defeats in Group A to set up a Semi-Finals against each other.The thumped Spain, 65-52, while in the day's first game, Serbia routed Brazil, 84-56.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manuel V. Pangilinan on Monday made the country’s final appeal to allow naturalized star Andray Blatche to play in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea this September.

The reigning world champions USA tightened the screws in the third quarter to leave Slovenia behind and take a comfortable 119-76 win in the second Quarter-Final of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup at the Palau Sant Jordi on Tuesday. 

With the victory, Mike Krzyzewski's team moved a step closer in their quest to successfully defend their title in FIBA's flagship event.