CHENNAI (23rd FIBA Asia Women Championship) - With four teams locked at two wins and one loss apiece, Sunday’s rest day is sure to be well utilized by the lead protagonists of the Level II competition here.

With two games left and a lot of cries-crossing results to be counted, the full effect of Saturday’s results will be known only when the final whistle is blown.

None more than Philippines’ well-fought 81-73 triumph over Uzbekistan.

Malaysia and Lebanon had earlier in the day also posted their second win in three outings.

Malaysia defeated a much taller opponent for the second day running in their 71-57 win over Kazakhstan. And Lebanon carried too many guns to quash Sri Lanka 96-54.

The defeat pulled Kazakhstan to 2-1 and Sri Lanka are yet to win.

In terms of improvement in performance, Malaysia are way ahead than the rest of the teams not only in Level II, but the entire 12-team fray.

The SEABA nation rode on that very factor and handed Kazakhstan their first defeat.

Malaysia, who fell from Level I at the last edition in Incheon, thus improved their chances to regain their place in the elite group.

Ang Siew Teng came off the bench and led the Malaysian charge with a game-high 20 points.

Pee Yann Yann continued her good showing with 16 points and four assists.

Kazakhstan won the rebounds battle by a whopping 58-28 margin, but shot a miserable 28% in field.

Nataliya Kuzmicheva was the highest scorer with 18 points.

American Chantelle Anderson’s second quarter splurge put Lebanon in firm control and the West Asian hopefuls cruised along thereafter against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka did manage to breathe down on their much better-equipped rivals for a major part of the first quarter, when the scores were locked 20-20.

But Anderson who was rather subdued till then scored 13 of her game-high 22 points in the second quarter as Lebanon outscored Sri Lanka 29-11 and surged ahead.

Rebecca Akl continued the Akl family’s services to Lebanese basketball – elder brothers Rodrigue and Ralph play for the Lebanese men’s teams – with 16 points, in a superb 70% field record (7/10).

Premila Beruwalage was the highest scorer for Sri Lanka with 16 points, but eight of them in first quarter.

Philippines and Uzbekistan waged a see-saw battle before the former closed their defense together in the dying moments.

Fortunes for most part of the game had swung like a yo-yo, but Philippines solidified at just about the right juncture.

Philippines who turned the ball over 20 times in the first three quarters, pulled up their socks and cut it down to a mere three in the fourth quarter.

Joan Grajales had six assists and rebounds apiece to add meat to her game-high 22 points.

Merenciana Arayi maintained form with 20 points for Philippines.

Yelena Khusnitdinova was the highest scorer for Uzbekistan with 15 points.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia