The “Cebuano Hotshot” Dondon Hontiveros showed that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank as he pumped in one crucial three-pointer after another to help the Gilas Pilipinas escape with a 92-88 overtime victory over New Zealand’s Wellington Saints in the 37th William Jones Cup yesterday at the Xinchuang Gym in Taiwan.
The 37-year old Hontiveros, who has made a career out of nailing game-changing shots, mostly of the three-point variety, scored 11 of his 21 points in the extra session to complete the Gilas’ huge comeback from 16-points down and register its fourth win in six games in this annual competition.
The former University of Cebu (UC) sentinel canned a three-pointer at the start of overtime to give Gilas the lead, 81-78. He then proceeded to add two more triples that kept the Saints at bay before sealing the game with two free throws with just seconds left in the hotly contested game.
“I can’t remember the last time I played as hot in one stretch. I’m glad it came again when I am here with Gilas. I’m glad to help,” Hontiveros said in the post-match interview. “Timing na timing lang na pumutok tayo. I was really waiting for the time to help the team, and it came today, and in overtime.”
But Hontiveros was not the only veteran out there showing that he still has more to give the national team as the ageless Asi Taulava – all 42 years old of him – scored 12 points including a bank shot late in regulation that tied the game at 76-all.
Then after Wellington’s Bryan Davis gave his team back the lead, 78-76, off a tip-in, Jayson Castro came up big, scoring on a lefty lay-up that tied the match at 78-all.
Castro led the Gilas in scoring with 22 points and added six assists.
The Saints led by as many as 16, 57-41, with 3:16 remaining in the third before the Gilas started to hum on both ends of the floor, unloading an 11-2 run anchored on Taulava and Castro to come to within seven, 52-59.
The Saints relented and kept a 70-62 lead before Hontiveros, Castro and Taulava along with Calvin Abueva, who provided his trademark energy and hustle, combined forces to send the game to overtime.
Abueva and Sonny Thoss added 11 points each.
Davis led the Saints (2-4) with 31 points and 14 rebounds while Brook Ruscoe pitched in 17.
Up next for the Gilas will be the United States today. The Filipinos will then finish off their stint in the Jones Cup with a match versus Chinese Taipei-B tomorrow.
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