CHANGSHA-HUNAN (2015 FIBA Asia Championship) - The Philippines were the goats on day one after their loss to Palestine, but they bounced back in a big way here, crushing Hong Kong, 101-50, on day two of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.

Bannered by great games from Jayson Castro, Andray Blatche, Terrence Romeo, and Dondon Hontiveros, the Filipinos led from start to finish in the hopes of erasing the bitterness of the previous day’s embarrassment. Coach Tab Baldwin’s wards dominated on both ends of the floor against a Hong Kong side that opened their account with a blowout of Kuwait.

With their big guns firing on all cylinders and their defense limiting Hong Kong to just 30% shooting from the field, the Philippines served notice that yesterday’s result was a fluke. They take on Kuwait on day three, while Hong Kong battle Palestine.

Duncan Reid tallied 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to pace the losing side.

Turning Point: Philippines opened the game with a 12-0 blast that all but obliterated any chance of the Hong Kongers sticking around. Castro, Blatche, and Hontiveros all conspired in that strong start for the Pinoys, who never looked back.

Stats Don't Lie: This was one of the most scintillating shooting displays the Filipinos had ever produced. They made a total of 14 three-pointers in the game, with Blatche, Castro, Hontiveros, and Romeo each hitting at least twice from the beyond the arc. Needless to say, if the Philippines continue to shoot this well, they remain a strong title contender.

Game Hero: Jayson Castro had a bit of a subpar outing yesterday against Palestine, but in this game he reminded everyone why he was among the All-Star Five in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship. Castro wound up with 21 points in under 20 minutes, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor, including 5 triples. He also collared 4 rebounds, dished out 2 assists, and got 2 steals.

The Bottom Line: The Philippines definitely needed to win this one by a big margin to offset the shocking and heart-wrenching defeat they experienced yesterday. It’s a good thing, then, that they played near-flawless basketball against a visibly overmatched East Asian side. Hong Kong, for its part, can learn from this and hope to spring their own version of an upset tomorrow against dangerous Palestine.

FIBA