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Match details
Fixture: Angola vs Philippines
Date & Time: Wednesday, 4th September - 3:30 AM (ET)/1:00 PM (IST)/3:30 PM (PHT)
Venue: Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena, Foshan
Last game result
Angola: 92-61 loss against Italy (2nd September)
Philippines: 126-67 loss against Serbia (2nd September)
Match overview
In a game where nothing but pride is at stake, both Angola and Philippines would be looking to end the first round of the tournament on a happy note. Both the teams have endured similar campaigns, playing with heart but failing to come up with anything of note against two simply superior sides in Italy and Serbia who have qualified for the latter stages of the competition from Group D.
While Angola were let down by poor perimeter defense and simply failed to keep up with the swift ball movement of the Serbians in their first game of the World Cup, mediocre shooting from deep led to their downfall against Italy. In any case, poor isolation shots and lackluster passing have been recurring themes for Angola so far.
The Philippines also allowed way too many open looks to Danilo Gallinari and Co. in their first game and had to pay heavily for it. While they did come out much more strongly against Serbia, the Europeans' superior size and sharp court vision ensured that Gilas Pilipinas succumbed to their biggest defeat in World Cup history. If they hope to win on Thursday, Philippines must do away with reckless turnovers and improve their shot-making.
Key players
Angola - Carlos Morais
Veteran guard Carlos Morais was the only player in Angola's lineup who got consistent offense going against Serbia, as he scored 15 points on 60% efficiency from the field. That efficiency was amiss against Italy where he could only record a mediocre 4-of-13 shooting and perhaps, a better outing for the 33-year-old could have made all the difference for his side. He will once again be key to Angola's chances against Philippines
Philippines - CJ Perez
Jaymar 'CJ' Perez has undoubtedly been Philippines best player in the tournament. He hasn't been afraid to get into the teeth of the defense to convert near the rim and has showcased the hustle to cause trouble to ball handlers on the other end of the pitch. Perez has been the highest scorer for Gilas Pilipinas in both their games and made his shots at an efficiency of 56.5%, a massive improvement on Philippines scoring accuracy of 38.2% as a team.
Predicted starting lineups
Angola - Carlos Morais, Reggie Moore, Yanick Moreira, Gerson Domingos, Jose Antonio
Philippines - Gabe Norwood, Japeth Aguilar, Andray Blatche, Paul Dalistan, CJ Perez
Match prediction
Both the teams seem to be even on paper and expect the same to be on display in Foshan on Thursday as both Angola and Philippines play out what is likely to be a rugged contest. However, Pilipinas' youngsters have exceeded expectations this World Cup and they might be given the license to express themselves on the court. Expect them to eke out a win for the Asian nation.
Check out all the live updates from Angola vs Philippines here!
