MANILA (SEABA Championship 2017) - Gilas Pilipinas and Indonesia opened their SEABA Championship 2017 accounts with blowout wins, while Thailand had to scramble past Malaysia.

The Filipinos showed no mercy in trouncing hapless Myanmar, 147-40, in the opening day's main game. "The Beast" Calvin Abueva led the way for the Philippines with 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 1 block while shooting 10-of-15 from the field. Reserve point guard Jio Jalalon also did well, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 field goal shooting along with 10 assists, 6 boards and 3 steals.

Gilas Pilipinas were absolutely dominant on the glass, grabbing 58 rebounds as opposed to Myanmar's 32. The Filipinos also showcased top grade playmaking, assisting on 45 of their 63 field goals. Coach Chot Reyes's wards also hit the century mark around the basket, dropping 100 points in the paint to underscore their edge in size.

This was nothing short of a huge statement game for the Filipinos, who are not going to settle for anything less than the SEABA title and a ticket to the FIBA Asia Cup 2017.

In the day's first game, Indonesia took advantage of Singapore's slow start to book their first win of the competition 71-50. 38-year-old point guard Mario Wuysang caught fire, hitting 6 threes on his way to a game-high 20 points, while big man Dodo Sitepu also did well with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Larry Liew paced the losing side with 11 points.

The Indons sank a total of 16 threes, making 46% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Indonesia also ruled the battle of the boards, 41-36, and played pretty tight defense, limiting key Singapore players Delvin Goh and Hanbin Ng to a combined 3-of-18 field goal shooting. This was a good first win for Indonesia, who were not able to field naturalized player Jamarr Johnson and IBL MVP Arki Wisnu due to eligibility issues.

In the second game, Thailand rallied in the second half after falling behind early to salvage a win over Malaysia, 74-67. Coach Goh Cheng Huat's players were hot from the field straight out of the gates as Choo Wei Hong, Heng Yee Tong and Teo Kok Hou hit from anywhere and everywhere on the floor, but Thai wingman Chitchai Ananti turned up the jets and aggressively drove to the basket, keeping Thailand within striking distance.

Ananti eventually finished the game with 24 points and 8 rebounds, leading Thailand's fightback in the final two periods. Big man Patiphan Klahan lent him a helping hand, recording an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double along with 2 blocks and a steal. Coach Tim Lewis had the bigger team here, and it showed in the box scores as Thailand out-rebounded Malaysia, 59-40. Point guard Nattakarn Muangboon also impressed with a dozen points and 7 boards.

Day One victors Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand take on different foes on Day Two, and they are favored to record back-to-back wins. Gilas will be tested by Singapore, Indonesia take on Vietnam and Thailand play Malaysia.

RESULTS:
Indonesia beat Singapore, 71-50
Thailand beat Malaysia, 74-67
Philippines beat Myanmar, 147-40

FIBA