TEHRAN - San Miguel-RP team bowed anew to Syria's Al Jalaa 109-77 Saturday to see its magical ride end in the 18th FIBA Asia Champions Cup at the Azadi Stadium.

The Nationals won over Bahrain's Al Muharraq just to make the quarterfinals and upended heavy favorite Blue Star of Lebanon to crash the semifinals. But sheer guts and grit will not tide them over this time. As a result, the Filipinos were relegated to the battle for third place against Qatar's Al Rayyan at 4:15 p.m. (8:45 p.m., Manila time) Sunday at the close of the eight-nation tournament.

"We feel really bad, but at the same time we're determined to salvage third," said RP coach Chot Reyes.

Whatever the RP finish, it will still be higher than the fifth place the country garnered in Manila two years ago, the last time it participated in the annual tournament before being suspended from international play by the FIBA.

The Syrians clash with host Iran's Saba Battery, narrow 74-70 winner over the Qataris in the other semis pairing, for the title at 6:30 p.m.

Guard Michael Mandaly shredded the RP defenses for 34 points and Eduardo Farhat added 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Syrians' reprise of their 114-80 win over the Nationals during elimination play last Tuesday.

Mark Caguioa scored 24 points and Danny Seigle 20 for the Nationals, who contained Syrian imports Bernard Jons and Julius Nwosu but, aside from the Syrian snipers, were blindsided from another front.

Kuwaiti referee Mohammad Al Amiri, who had officiated in each of the Filipinos' first three losses, again called the game and along with Finnish referee Petre Mantyla was a big contributing factor for the loss.

In the end, the Filipinos were slapped a total 32 fouls, including three technicals and two deliberates, to the Syrians' 15, just four for the entire first half.

"It could have been a great game, but each time we made a run, a foul or a violation will be called against us, stopping our momentum. Now I've seen it all," said RP center Asi Taulava.

Caguioa, fouled out after being slapped his second technical at the final 4:02 mark and also blamed it all on the referees. "Those referees took away our focus," said the RP team first-timer who went out of the game with his team in a 64-99 hole.

PBA commissioner Noli Eala and Patrick Gregorio, nominee for executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, termed the officiating as plain highway robbery.

Reyes noted his team lost to the Iranians by only 13 points and the Syrians by 28, but refused to expound on the implications. Instead, he pointed out the more physical factors.

"Coming into the game, I was hoping last night's game didn't take too much out of us. Apparently, it did," he said, referring to the 94-83 shocker over the Lebanese last Saturday, the Nationals' sixth game in as many playdates.

"We went off to a slow start and had a nice comeback in the second (quarter) but couldn't sustain it." Jons, who had a triple double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 shot blocks the first time they met, was held to only 11, 11 and two Saturday and Nwosu eight points and 11 rebounds.

Doing the most damage were Madanly, Chueri and co-Brazil native Farhat, who combined for all of Al Jalaa's 12 triples.

"Syria shot great and their shooters just wouldn't miss," said Reyes.

Syria easily broke off from the game's only tie at 10 with a 20-4 run anchored on RP's five misses and two turnovers and Madanly's seven points, Farhat's two triples and the five points by Chueri.

The lead got stretched to 37-14 before Caguioa led a sizzling comeback, scattering 10 points in a charge that had the Nationals within 36-46. That would prove to be the closest they would get. *PNA

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RP five fails to reach finals