BANTING CITY, MALAYSIA—The Energen Pilipinas Under-16 Youth Team kicked off its campaign with a 91-64 dumping of host Malaysia in the 1st Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) U16 for Men on Tuesday night at the Kuala Langat Gym here.

Arvin Tolentino, a 6-foot-3 San Beda standout, paced the young nationals with 16 points and seven rebounds.

Gelo Vito had 13 points, including seven in the Philippines’ 15-4 outburst in the first five minutes.

Up next for the Philippines is Indonesia, which also routed Singapore, 101-68, in the other game of the five-nation tournament.

Radge Tongco and Kyles Lao, who teamed up for 21 markers for the Philippines, helped stretch the lead to as many as 21 points, 40-19, as the Malaysians struggled with a 7-of-38 shooting clip in the first two quarters.

“I’m happy with the win but I’m not satisfied, “ said national youth coach Olsen Racela. “There were stretches in the game when we didn’t play our system.”

Zhi Hao Tan had 13 points to lead the Malaysians, who couldn’t get any closer than 12 points, 59-47, in the second half.

The scores:

PHILIPPINES 91—Tolentino 16, Vito 13, Tongco 11, Lao 10, Javelosa 7, Cani 7, Diputado 7, Asilum 5, Brill 5, Pascual 4, Babilonia 4, Murphy 2.

MALAYSIA 64—Tan Z. 13, Tan H. 10, Chua 7, Su 6, Foo 6, Keng 6, Tong 6, Sim 5, Sarjit 5, Ng 0, Yew 0, Lew 0.

Quarters: 23-9, 44-26, 67-49, 91-64