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Host Taiwan U21 thrashes Philippines U21 on their home turf, 66-54 (79866)

Taipei, Taiwan -- After a series of wins for Philippines U21, Taiwan U21 gave them a reality check as they fend off Philippines U21, 66-54. If there was an indication of what kind of game this would be, the first half is the perfect example. The first half ended at 30-25 with Taiwan U21 getting the advantage. Both teams shot less than 30% from the field. Both teams were also sloppy with the ball as they turned the ball over too many times.

However, Taiwan U21 recovered in the third quarter as they surge ahead of Philippines U21, 20-9, giving the Taiwanese a safe cushion entering the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Filipinos continued to struggle, eventually handing Taiwan U21 their first win in the second round.

Leonard Espeño was the only double-digit scorer for Philippines U21 with 20 points on 7 of 18 field goal shooting. Tough outing for Joseph Steven Tabernero as he only made 2 out of his 26 attempts on the field for 9 points. Philippines U21's starting bigs, Jeff Castro and Benigno Sasabo, held their own against Taiwan U21's bigmen, collecting a total of 31 rebounds and 7 blocks.

As for Taiwan U21, Tan Libing buried any hopes for the Filipinos to win the game as he tallied 23 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. Chen Wei Quo added 14 points and 4 steals, while Hsiao Men Kae recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, add to that his 3 blocks. Shang-Guan Ka Hay also did a lot of damage on the defensive end as he collected 18 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

In the post-game press conference, Coach Leo gave huge credits to Taiwan U21's impregnable defense and the home crowd's amazing support for their team. He was also asked about their plans in the coming days. "Twenty thousand jump shots", he jokingly said as he slowly bolted out of the room.

Philippines U21's next assignment will be a game against Australia U21 on 9th of June, 6 pm. Please continue to support our U21 team and the Seniors team as well!

Points Leaders:
Leonard Espeño - 20 points
Joseph Steven Tabernero - 9 points
Banjo Maximo Vargas - 7 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Jeff Castro - 18 rebounds
Benigno Sasabo - 13 rebounds
Sam Castañeda Montezon - 8 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Ulysses Maximo Martinez - 3 assists
Rojun Abono - 2 assists
Joseph Steven Tabernero - 1 assist
Benigno Sasabo - 1 assist
Sam Castañeda Montezon - 1 assist

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Huge 2nd half propels Philippines U21 to a comeback victory over Australia U21, 99-92 (79869)

Taipei, Taiwan -- In the first half of the game, the Filipinos found themselves in the middle of a drought spell as they only managed to score a measly 26 points, compared to Australia U21's 36 points. It was only Banjo Maximo Vargas who showed up in the first half for the Filipinos as he scored 10 points, while the Australian guard triumvirate of Rick Gaster, Maxim Irons, and Lindsay Duffield had their ways inside the Philippines U21's zone defense, scoring 11, 8 and 8 points, respectively. It was almost reminiscent of the Filipinos' last game vs Taiwan U21, where they only scored 25 points in the first half, hence, Coach Leo's growing concerns in the halftime dugout.

Coach Leo didn't elaborate enough on what he told his wards before the second half started, but it proved to be the medicine that the doctor ordered as they clawed their way back into the game, squeaked past a pesky Australia U21 team, 99-92. Philippines U21 scored 73 points in the second half, which is almost triple their first half output.

Banjo Maximo Vargas was in the forefront of this Philippines U21 attack, collecting a total of 33 points. Leonard Espeño added 23 points while Ash Julius Javellana provided muscle inside as he powered through the Aussie defense for 14 points.

Clyde Dexter Widagdo almost had a double-double with 9 points and 10 assists, orchestrating the Philippines offense with gusto. Benigno Sasabo only scored 6 points, but he grabbed 11 rebounds, and added 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks, helping the team in a lot of ways, especially on the defensive side.

Rick Gaster finished the game with 34 points for Australia U21. John Field amassed a double-double, 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Maxim Irons and Lindsay Duffield didn't do a lot in terms of scoring in the second half, as they ended the game with 11, and 10 points, respectively.

Both Australia U21 and Philippines U21 now have 1-1 win-loss records, which also ties them with Taiwan U21 after their stunning loss against Hong Kong U21 earlier. Malaysia U21 (0-2), who is coming off a loss to Japan U21, is up next in Philippines U21's schedule. The game is scheduled on 16th of June, 6:00PM, Manila time. Please continue to support our U21 team. Seniors team also needs your supports as they are still alive in the knockout matches in the Consolation round.

Points Leaders:
Banjo Maximo Vargas - 33 points
Leonard Espeño - 23 points
Ash Julius Javellana - 14 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benigno Sasabo - 11 rebounds
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 6 rebounds
Leonard Espeño - 5 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 10 assists
Benigno Sasabo - 5 assists
Banjo Maximo Vargas - 3 assist

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Last edited by Leo (Pilipinas U21) at 6/9/2025 9:11:51 PM

Philippines U21, minus Leonard Espeño, mauls Malaysia U21, 89-64 (79870)

Taipei, Taiwan -- Sidelined for 1 to 2 weeks due to a facial injury, Leonard Espeño, the star-turned-spectator, was perched on a chair behind Philippines U21 bench, watching intently as his team claimed a wire-to-wire win against Malaysia U21, 89-64. When asked about his injury, he was quite optimistic that he'll be able to play next week against Hong Kong U21. "We hope he can play, but we are ready without him", exclaimed Coach Leo in the post-game interview. "We have guys who can step up in his absence."

One of those guys who stepped up in Espeño's absence earlier was Joseph Steven Tabernero, who stood at the forefront of Philippines U21's offense with 17 points on 7 of 12 shooting clip. This was a huge improvement compared to his abysmal performance against Taiwan U21 where he was also a starter and only made 2 out of his 26 attempts. He jokingly mentioned "Twenty-thousand Jump Shots" when asked what changed in their practices.

Clyde Dexter Widagdo added 15 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists to help steer Philippines U21 to victory, while Atoy Tapia and Russel Masias each chipped in 14 points. Ash Julius Javellana claimed his 1st double-double in this tournament with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Seymour Stanley still doing the usual Seymour Stanley things, grabbing 15 rebounds and be a menace on the defensive end.

On the other side, Malaysia U21 was led by Bazil Jeferin and his 13-point, 15-rebound double-double performance, followed by Bobby Robert and Dean Grove, who scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Next week will be a crucial tiff between two teams who are still in contention for the top spot in Pool D, Hong Kong U21 and Philippines U21. The game is scheduled on 23rd of June, 6:00PM, Manila time. Please continue to support our U21 team.

Points Leaders:
Joseph Steven Tabernero - 17 points
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 15 points
Atoy Tapia - 14 points
Russel Masias - 14 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Seymour Stanley - 15 rebounds
Benigno Sasabo - 12 rebounds
Ash Julius Javellana - 11 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 8 assists
Ulysses Maximo Martinez - 8 assists
Victor Perfecto Sumbang - 3 assist

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Hong Kong U21 puts on a defensive masterclass, crushes Philippines U21's medal hopes, 70-56 (79875)

Taipei, Taiwan -- Hong Kong U21 showed why their opponents fear their disruptive, impregnable and tenacious 3-2 zone defense. And it was no different against Philippines U21 as Hong Kong U21 limited their opponents to a very low 19 points in the first half, and ended up getting the important win, 70-56. They also claimed solo lead in Pool C with 4-0 win-loss record.

Meanwhile, Philippines U21 succumbs to another disappointing loss and they are now eliminated from top spot contention. After Australia U21's win against Malaysia U21, Philippines U21 and Australia U21 are now tied at 2-2, with Australia U21 getting the upper hand via superior point differential, making next week's games all important for these two squads.

Technically, Philippines U21 still has a chance to claim Top 2 spot in Pool C, but they need to win the next game against Japan U21 by a very big margin, and most importantly, for Taiwan U21 to lose its final assignment against Malaysia U21. A Taiwan U21 loss, according to basketball pundits, is very improbable, siting the roster comparison between the two teams and Malaysia U21 putting a lot of effort earlier against Australia U21.

Hung Yuk Tak led Hong Kong U21 in scoring with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Man Siu Kwok and Shi Ki Ching provided ample support with 11 points each. Jian Shunlei didn't score in this game, but his presence along the baseline is what mattered as he swatted 9 shots and grabbed 18 boards.

On the other side, Clyde Dexter Widagdo scored 10 points to lead the team. Newcomer Diego Olmos La Santa added 9 points and collected 12 rebounds. Not much to say about the rest of the team, but Coach Leo still praised them all for giving it their best in this game and also commended Hong Kong U21's defensive toughness. "Hong Kong was tough, especially that Shunlei guy. He can reach the stratosphere!"

Philippines U21 now prepares to play the final game of the second round against Japan U21 next week, 30th of June, 6:00PM, Manila time. Please continue to support our U21 team.

And also, congratulations to Philippines Senior team for securing the homecourt in the Asia Cup next season.

Points Leaders:
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 10 points
Diego Olmos La Santa - 9 points
Seymour Stanley - 7 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Diego Olmos La Santa - 12 rebounds
Atoy Tapia - 9 rebounds
Russel Masias - 8 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 2 assists
Atoy Tapia - 2 assists
Banjo Maximo Vargas - 2 assists
Orlan Sarrosa - 2 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Last edited by Leo (Pilipinas U21) at 6/23/2025 8:45:23 AM

Philippines U21 books a date in the World Cup Barrage, whips Japan U21, 106-68 (79878)

Taipei, Taiwan -- Philippines U21 made sure that their entry to the World Cup Barrage is finalized as they didn't hold back against Japan U21 team, 106-68. Their entry was formalized after Australia U21 lost to Hong Kong U21 earlier, 69-80. With Taiwan U21 manhandling Malaysia U21, 100-60, Philippines U21 won't be entering the semifinals, which is a first in Coach Leo's tenure as the U21 coach/manager of the Philippines.

After a lengthy injury recovery, the sorely-missed stalwart, Leonard Espeño, returns to pick up the slack offensively with 19 points on 7 of 14 field goal shooting. Rojun Abono spearheaded the bench mob with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, with Banjo Maximo Vargas chipping in 16 points.

Benigno Sasabo continues to shine in the rebounding department, he even led the team in rebounding despite getting off the bench. He grabbed 16 huge rebounds,5 of offensive variety. Victor Perfecto Sumbang shows his complete game by amassing 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. He also had 2 steals and 2 blocks to round out his amazing performance.

Japan U21 put up a great fight, but Philippines U21's defense was too much for them to handle. Only Masaaki Kitahara and Tomoharu Daita showed up as they were the only double-digit scorers for their team, compared to Philippines U21 with 6.

World Cup Barrage will be on 7th of July, and the matchups will be announced on 5th of July, noon, at the earliest. Philippines U21 will now await their opponent, which would either be a 3rd place European team or an Americas semifinalist. This is a one-game affair, winner books a ticket to the World Cup next season; loser goes to the Consolation tournament. With that, we're asking for everyone's support. Let's claim it!

Points Leaders:
Leonard Espeño - 19 points
Rojun Abono - 17 points
Banjo Maximo Vargas - 16 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Benigno Sasabo - 16 rebounds
Victor Perfecto Sumbang - 8 rebounds
Ash Julius Javellana - 7 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Victor Perfecto Sumbang - 5 assists
Joseph Steven Tabernero - 4 assists
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 4 assists
Rojun Abono - 4 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo

Good Job Coach Leo! Lezzzzgooooooo!!!

Alright, the World Cup Qualifiers schedule are already released. We got Canada U21 this time.

July 8 5:00 AM (Manila Time)
Canada U21 vs Philippines U21

Again, winner books a ticket to the World Cup next season. Loser goes to Consolation Tournament.

Please support our U21 team on Tuesday. Good luck to all of us!

EDIT:
Good luck also in the draft on Monday (most likely before our WC Qualifier game).

Hope we get decent rookies!

Best regards,
Leo

Last edited by Leo (Pilipinas U21) at 7/5/2025 12:36:57 AM

Goodluck and Congrats Coach, Let's Go

Thank you coach! We'll definitely get 'em!!!

Rock and Roll... to the Worlds! Philippines U21 enters the World Cup after win over Canada U21, 91-61 (80269)

Washington D.C., USA -- Philippines U21 raced to an early lead, and thwarted every comeback attempts by Canada U21, and this led to a very important win for the Filipinos, 91-61. This win gave them a slot in the U21 World Cup next season, which is a first for Coach Leo in his tenure as the U21 manager of the Philippines.

"I'm very grateful for the community's support, especially those who are training their guys and keeping them in tip-top shape.", Coach Leo said in the post-game interview. He also tipped his hat to Canada U21's current manager, Coach Morwood, for being a mentor and a great friend. "We go way back, being his assistant when he was Philippines U21's manager a few seasons back, learned a lot about handling the national team, what tactics to use. Stuff like that helps a lot, especially coming from the winningest Pilipinas U21 manager. Again, I can't thank him enough."

Rojun Abono had his best game in a Pilipinas U21 uniform, scoring 23 points in just 23 minutes off the bench, while Leonard Espeño finished the game with 19 points to cap off this season. Joseph Steven Tabernero, aptly nicknamed "JT Express", delivered a 16-point package, safely and securely. Orchestrating the Philippines U21 offense was Clyde Dexter Widagdo, who dished out 7 assists, and 5 of it were from the 1st quarter alone. The 20-year-old Benigno Sasabo didn't score much, but his defense on Canada U21's monster bigman, Pascal Veilleux, was exemplary after he limited the latter to just 6 of 22 shooting, add to that his 7 rebounds and 5 blocks.

The Filipinos did not do well in the rebounding department as Canada U21 deployed a 3-bigs starting 5, hence the 47-63 disadvantage with the Filipinos not even getting a single offensive rebound in this game, but they made up for it by shooting at a better clip, better passing, and defense.

As for Canada U21, Vernon Owen and Pascal Veilleux secured double-doubles to lead Canada U21's offense. Owen had 16 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Veilleux collected 14 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.

On to the next season, where the Philippines U21 will test its mettle against the best U21 teams in the World. Good luck!

Points Leaders:
Rojun Abono - 23 points
Leonard Espeño - 19 points
Joseph Steven Tabernero - 16 points

Rebounds Leaders:
Victor Perfecto Sumbang - 7 rebounds
Benigno Sasabo - 7 rebounds
Laurence Linia - 6 rebounds
Ash Julius Javellana - 6 rebounds

Assists Leaders:
Clyde Dexter Widagdo - 7 assists
Rojun Abono - 3 assists
Ash Julius Javellana - 3 assists

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

- Leo