Express shock Guandong Tigers

ARMED with a big fighting heart and a never-quit defensive stance, the Air21 Express scored a stunning 85-82 upset victory over the Guandong Tigers late Wednesday in the 2007 Grand Waldo Cup-Asian Basketball Association in Dongguan City, Shenzhen, China.

KG Canaleta and Ranidel De Ocampo joined forces at the
paint and combined for 29 points, even as Arwind Santos added 14, as the Express outplayed the taller three-time Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) champions in the thrilling endgame to clinch their first win in the week-long tournament.

Also contributing for the Express, whose trip here was partly bankrolled by Mighty Filter Kings, Federal Tyres and Burlington Socks, were Winnie Arboleda, who had nine, Homer Se, Aries Dimaunahan and import Shawn Daniels, who chipped in eight points apiece, and Ghec Chia and JC Intal had four each.

The Express trailed by as many as 13 points in the second quarter, but employed an unforgiving pressing defense in the second half to turn the tide on their
favor.

The Guandong Tigers, who boasts of three Chinese players who stand at least seven feet and a 6-10 American import in Cassiano Mattheus, made use of their size advantage throughout the match, but two crucial steals and a conversion by Arboleda in the stretch ensured the win for the Filipinos.

“They’re taller, but our boys showed that they have the bigger heart. They really wanted to win this one,” said Air21 coach Bo Perasol, who is assisted here by Johny Tam and Ching Marcelinoi.

Mattheus led the Tigers with 15 points, Dawei Chen and Zhe Zhang chipped in 14 each, while Chao Tian tossed in 11.

Air21 import Daniels pulled down 18 rebounds for the Express, who will next meet Samsung of Korea on Sept. 27 (yesterday) at 4 p.m.

The Koreans boast of two seven-footer American imports. Samsung will be coming off a win over Winling of Hong Kong, 101-62.

In another result, the Iranian national team scraped past Lioning, 66-62.