Kieffer Alas erupted with a double-double performance to power the Philippines to a 66-42 win over Kazakhstan in the FIBA U16 Asian Championship at the Al-Rayyan Indoor Hall in Doha on Tuesday.
Alas, a 16-year-old playmaker from De La Salle Zobel, delivered 18 points and 10 rebounds for the young Gilas, who bounced back from a 67-84 setback to China in the opener on Monday.
The son of multi-title coach Louie Alas and brother of NLEX star Kevin Alas shot 7-of-20 from the field but it was enough to lead the Filipinos to victory and keep their chances of advancing to the semifinals and seeing action in the FIBA U19 World Championship in Turkey next year alive.
After trailing by five points at halftime, the Filipinos opened the third quarter with a big 14-3 run capped by a three-pointer by Bonn Daja with 3:55 left to give Gilas Youth a 39-33 lead.
The taller, heftier Kazakhs tried to fight back but the Filipinos sustained the momentum en route to the victory.
Gilas head coach Josh Reyes utilized all of his 12 players and he was rewarded with 28 points from the bench, 11 of which came from Joaquin Gabriel Ludovice.
Daja scored 10 points for the Philippines behind a 4-of-7 shooting from the field.
Alisher Muratuly was the only Kazakh player to reach double digits as he flirted with a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Gilas, who have a 1-1 win-loss record in Group D, is currently facing Malaysia at press time to wrap up the elimination round for a victory that will boost their chances of making it to the next round.
