TEHRAN - The worn-out San Miguel-RP Team absorbed a 75-95 defeat to Qatar's Al Rayyan Sunday, formally ending a FIBA Asia Champions Cup stint that was both frustrating and rewarding.

The Nationals tried their very best to overachieve but found themselves simply unable to exceed expectations against the longer, fresher Qataris and had to settle for fourth place.

Iran's Saba Battery held off Syria's Al Jalaa, 83-75, for the hosts' first-ever crown in Asia's premier club championship.

The finish improved the Filipinos' fifth place windup in 2005, the last time they participated in the annual tournament. But RP coach Chot Reyes said the experience gained here were so much more.

"The number one lesson is the realization that we are at this point very far from the best Asian teams," said Reyes, whose ultimate goal is for his team to be prepared for the FIBA Asia Men's championship set July 28-Aug. 5 in Tokushima, Japan.

"If the FIBA Asia were played today then our chances would be very slim. At the same time, however, it is good that we learned these lessons now while we still have two months to improve.

"At the end of our game, I just asked each player to think long and hard about where he is at this point and where he wants to be come July 28. Only by each individual improving will the team improve."

There will be many more practical classrooms for the Nationals before they are really primed and ready for Japan.

All of the Nationals' attention is now focused on the SEABA championship set May 24-28 in Ratchaburri, Thailand, followed by a basketball camp in Belgrade on June 12-20.

Next up is an invitational tournament in Qatar on June 23-28, and the final tune-up before Japan: A four-team invitational being hatched by the PBA for July 4-7, right after the semifinals of the ongoing Fiesta Cup.

But first, Reyes and his wards must savor the Champions Cup, where it was generally agreed the Filipinos could have done so much better if not ranged against teams with imports of unlimited height and so much more attuned to the quirks and nuances of international play.

"This was a long and difficult tournament but it was well worth it," said Reyes, pointing out the opposition here have the kind of styles the Nationals will be meeting anew in the future.

The Qataris are a good example, having a seven-foot import in Jacob Nonemacher and 6'4 point guard in Baker Mohammed and a host of naturalized players whose names either have a Mohammad, Mohammed or an Ali in it.

Tall, quick, athletic and having good range, the Qataris were also playing only their fifth game in nine playdates and this showed in the way they repeatedly beat the Filipinos in transition and hustle plays.

The Filipinos' shooting was also way off and, as a result, the Qataris managed to unleash one surge after another, the most telling a 17-5 run in the third period that staked them to a 67-44 lead.

Once Reyes realized the Filipinos' cause was hopeless, he concentrated on honing the plays while reserving the likes of Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Kerby Raymundo and Rico Villanueva for the SEABA.

After the game, the entire team went to a dinner tendered by a group of overseas Filipino workers here before preparing the long journey back to Manila that starts with an early Monday morning flight to Dubai.

The scores:

Qatar 95 - Musa 26, Ali 20, A. Ali 12, Abdi 10, Saeed 10, Mohammed 6, Nonemacher 5, Salem 0.

San Miguel-RP 75 - Ritualo 18, Hontiveros 16, Seigle12, Caguioa 8, Alapag 7, Raymundo 7, Pennisi 6,Taulava 1, De Ocampo 0, Villanueva 0, Helterbrand 0. Quarterscores: 20-19; 44-35; 71-52; 95-75.*

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