Team Pilipinas kept its Olympic hopes alive with a 79-74 victory over China Sunday in the 24th FIBA-Asia men’s basketball championship at the Asty Tokushima gym in Japan.

The last time a Philipine team beat China was in the 1985 ABC when the country’s coach was the legendary Ron Jacobs. “It’s a matter of honor and respect, not just beating China,” said Reyes, who was barely out of UAAP basketball as an Ateneo Blue Eagles star when Jacobs led a Philippine team to the ABC Championship in 1985 in Kuala Lumpur, beating China in the final game.

SMC-RP 79 — Alapag 25, Caguioa 16, Raymundo 12, Williams 11, Hontiveros 7, Taulava 4, Norwood 0, Pennisi 0.

CHINA 74 — Yi 14, Wang 14, Wang 13, Bian 10, Zhang 9, Chen 6, Han 3, Yang 3, Wang Y. 2, Chen L 0.

QUARTERS: 19-25; 38-49; 56-57; 79-74.