Gilas Pilipinas: Philippines men's national basketball team News and Updates

[Zurca]

Since wala pang upcoming international tournament/event na sasalihan ang Gilas Pilipinas, dito tayo magpost about the latest news and updates as well our opinions about our men's national basketball team.

Chot Reyes’ fate rests in management’s hands as Cone lends support

MANILA, Philippines - His team had emerged victorious, but Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes was in no mood to celebrate.

As he met with the press after the Philippine men’s national basketball team’s 67-65 win over Kazakhstan, which was below the 11-point margin they needed to advance to the Asian Games semifinals, the topic of discussion centered around his future as head coach of the most beloved team in the nation.

“We are now out of contention for a medal. And that's the story of this ball game,” said Reyes, a day after he shouldered blame for the team’s performance after losing consecutive games to Iran, Qatar and South Korea.

“The players might not be the same, the coach might not be the same but the program continues," said Reyes. "But hopefully, the program continues because the goal now is the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.”

“If they still want me and still ask me to be the coach, I will continue to make that commitment.

"I expect to continue and complete the commitment unless management feels otherwise."

Reyes says he understands the backlash he has received from fans in a country where basketball is almost a religion.

"When I took this job, I knew that that was part of the territory. We are a basketball-crazy nation. We are passionate about basketball. And if we are unable to produce the victories the Filipinos want, they are upset. And I get that."


Cone backs Chot

After those defeats, much of the sentiment on social media centered on bashing Reyes, the Philippine Basketball Association’s only 5-time Coach of the Year. Reyes took heat after their loss to South Korea, which included the collapse of a 16-point second half lead after deciding to bench naturalized center Marcus Douthit for “disciplinary reasons” after Douthit’s underwhelming performance against Qatar.

Fans had called for Tim Cone, current head coach of the PBA’s San Mig Super Coffee Mixers and the winningest coach in league history, to replace Reyes. Cone, who is in Incheon to support the team, took to Twitter to voice support for his former assistant with the Alaska Aces.

“I just want to say from the heart, I truly believe in [Chot Reyes and] the program. He’s the right guy and the program will bring us to next level,” tweeted Cone, who previously coached the 1998 Centennial national team, winning bronze at that year’s Asiad.

Reyes emphasized that the team had hurdles to overcome at the Asian Games, after point guard Jayson Castro withdrew due to injuries and naturalized former Brooklyn Nets center Andray Blatche was declared ineligible.

“We had six days to practice with Marcus,” said Reyes. “We couldn't understand why Blatche wasn't allowed to play here but he's committed to continue to play for national team.”

Despite their earlier row, Reyes highlighted the value of the 34-year-old Douthit, who has played for the national team since 2011. Reyes said that Douthit had apologized for what he calls bad body language and that the team asked for him to play against Kazakhstan.

“The intent to renew him for one more year is a strong statement on how we want him in the program. He is still a part of the program if he wants,” Reyes said.

Gilas will now compete in the classification round to play for places fifth to eighth. They can still improve on their 2010 finish of sixth.

Overall, Reyes says that the team, which rose to number 31 in the FIBA world rankings, has been successful in achieving the goals which it set out for. “We had several goals: Get back respectability in Asia and compete in world stage. We got it.”

From Rappler


MVP texts Chot Reyes, Gilas Pilipinas: ‘For now, we cannot ask for more’

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Manuel V. Pangilinan on Monday sent a message to Gilas Pilipinas, following the national basketball team’s highly disappointing finish in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

After qualifying to the FIBA World Cup of Basketball by finishing second in the Asia qualifiers in Manila in 2013, and after an inspired run in Spain last August, hopes were high for a medal run for Gilas in South Korea. But after an opening win against India, the Philippine squad led by Gilas coach Chot Reyes lost three disappointing games to Iran, Qatar, and perennial rival South Korea. The Filipinos bowed out of the competition despite a win over Kazakhstan.

Against a backdrop of national disappointment and even bitter social media criticism against Reyes, Pangilinan, the main patron of the Gilas Pilipinas team and the national program that has built up the team in the past decade, early Monday morning a heartfelt message to the team, via their coach.

Pangilinan is also chairman of TV5 under which news department InterAksyon.com operates.

The SBP president expressed his “deep personal gratitude for what the Gilas team has accomplished.” Although “heads (are) bowed” following the campaign in South Korea, he said the sentiment is “in sadness, not in shame.” He also acknowledged that national pride that the team had built up, and all the sacrifices each member of the team had made.

Gilas had raised the standing of the Philippines and of Philippine basketball, Pangilinan noted. The latest FIBA world rankings, released before Incheon, saw the Philippines go up from 34th to 31st, following its outing in Spain.

Below is the full text messsage of Pangilinan to Reyes, a copy of which was shared with InterAksyon.com:

“Chot, pls send to each and all of you my deep personal gratitude for what the Gilas Team has accomplished – in Manila last year, and in Spain and Korea this year.

“It has been quite a journey with its peaks and valleys; the road has been long and tough, the climb steep, and the obstacles formidable even from the get go. We may have fallen short of what we all desired to gift to our people after years of desolation, but all of you persevered, and gave your best to the country and improved our standing in world basketball.

“For now, we cannot ask for more. Indeed, sports is a veritable roller coaster and we’ve seen that cycle of ups and downs as short as it was between Spain and Korea. We report our results in Korea with “heads bowed in sadness but not in shame”. That said, we take pride and satisfaction in all that Gilas have reached thus far.

“The Asian Games are now done; it is time to look ahead and plan for the FIBA Asia competition next year in China, the winner of which qualifies for the 2016 Brazil Olympics. We must stay focused on our goal, and neither despair nor get deterred by the letdown in the Asian Games – which is comparatively less meaningful than the Olympics.

“In the meantime, it is time to bring the Team home so that they can restore normalcy to their lives with their loved ones. Safe journey.”

From InterAksyon


Chot Reyes on the future of Gilas Pilipinas: ‘The program continues’

The Philippine national men’s basketball team may have bowed out in the quarterfinal round of the 2014 Asian Games basketball tournament in Incheon, Korea but this is not likely to be the end of the Gilas Pilipinas program.

“It would have been great to medal here but our goal now is to get into the Olympics. I think it would be a shame to judge the program on the tourney,” Gilas coach Chot Reyes said in the postgame press conference following the team’s 67-65 win over Kazakhstan.

Despite the disappointing outcome for in the Asiad, Reyes said that the program was able to achieve several of the goals it set out to accomplish.

”We had several goals. Get back respectability in Asia and compete in world stage. We got it,” he said.

“We’ve won in every tournament we played and reached historic milestones. The program continues.”

Reyes said that while the future is uncertain in terms of the players and the coaching staff, the program itself will likely go on.

“The first step is re-assess the program and see how we can get to 2015. But we don’t know which players would be available.”

“The players might not be the same, the coach might not be the same but the program continues.”

He said that naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche remains committed to playing for the Philippines and that he himself is willing to return if it is asked of him.

“We couldn’t understand why Blatche wasn’t allowed to play here but he’s committed to continue to play for the national team,” he said.

“If they still want me and still ask me to be the coach, I will continue to make that commitment.”

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: September 29, 2014, 03:02:12 PMAll is not lost in Incheon: Gilas coach Chot Reyes talks about wisdom gained and lessons learned at the Asian Games

They may have bowed out early of medal contention, falling short of the country’s expectations, but all is not lost for Philippine national men’s basketball team, at least not for their embattled coach.

At the Kazakhstan post-game press conference, we asked him if he learned anything in Incheon, and Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes admits he came away with valuable lessons both on and off the court.

Here’s what he learned from playing the games.

“We picked up a lot of lessons playing Iran and how competitive we are against them.

“We played Korea tough even without Marcus Douthit. That’s a big lesson for us — how to play these tough teams.

“But in the Asian Games, it’s how to play four straight games. Being the smallest team in the league as you saw today, we had no legs. We couldn’t make shots anymore that we normally make because it’s just a physical thing.

“It’s how we need to keep the players recovered, healthy, well enough.”

Off the court, it was about his players, collectively and individually, and It was about accountability. It was also about the fans.

And perhaps by his keeping mum about what really went down with Douthit, there was also the lesson to keep certain things out of media’s reach.

“Our team has been fantastic. The players were fantastic. That was a very big blow that came to us with the Qatar game. But I want to correct the impression. I had no altercation with Douthit at the Qatar game. No altercation at all. That was not the reason for the disciplinary action. With the players, their attitude has been tremendous, they stuck in there and continued to play regardless of who was there. With or without Marcus, they came in and they played hard.”

“I think the biggest lesson is perhaps the awareness, of just how much hatred the Flipino is capable of. But when I took this job, I knew it was part of the territory. We are a basketball crazy nation. We are passionate. If we are unable to produce the victories that the Filiipino people want, they get upset. And i get that. I don’t shy away from the responsibility; I take full responsibility for all the decisions and everything that went on in this tournament.”

Armed with wisdom gained and lessons learned, Coach Chot talks briefly about the future of Gilas Pilipinas, as he spells out his so-called recipe for a successful national team:

“Number one is to get good players who will fit the system. Number two is to give them a lot of international exposure and time to train together; and then we get them ready to play actual games.

And while he is eager to move forward, Coach Chot is hoping that the fans don’t forget to look back.

“We have reached historic milestones in this program. There’s the Jones Cup gold in 2012, the silver at the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship, this year’s bronze at the Asia Cup and the win at the Fiba World Cup in Spain. It’s gonna be a shame to grade the entire program on this one (Asian Games) tournament and forget everything else that we’ve done.”

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: September 30, 2014, 06:23:55 PM‘No hard feelings’: Marcus Douthit opens up about Gilas drama in Incheon Asian Games

INCHEON – Philippine national men’s basketball team naturalized player Marcus Douthit has seen some highs and lows in the 2014 Asian Games basketball tournament in Incheon, Korea but he confirmed that he is more than willing to move forward as part of the Gilas Pilipinas program.

Douthit just enjoyed his best offensive game of the tournament in scoring 24 points on a taller and younger China side in the 5th to 8th place classification round, but it wasn’t enough to salvage a win for the beleaguered Gilas squad.

In an exclusive post-game interview with News5, Douthit shared his thoughts on Gilas’ Asian Games campaign and the much-ballyhooed drama that surrounded it.

“It’s disappointing, you know what I mean? All the guys and all the preparation, and the owners, the sponsors, the coaches…. a lot of things happened gearing up for this tournament,” Douthit said.

“We were supposed to have Andray (Blatche). We were supposed to have Jayson (Castro). There were a lot of bumps on the road.”

But the 6-foot-11 center also saw some bright spots along the way, particularly in the ever-improving play of his teammates.

“Clearly, a lot of players got better throughout the tournament. For the most part, I think the program is great.”

But the big story of the Gilas campaign was the criticism Douthit received from national team coach Chot Reyes following the team’s loss to Qatar last Friday.

Reyes had some strong words for Douthit after the game, questioning his “desire” in the contest.

The naturalized player, known affectionately as ‘Kuya’ Marcus, spoke about the fallout of the incident and his continuing relationship with his Gilas teammates and Reyes himself.

“My teammates are great guys. They’re my brothers for life. Coach Chot is a great guy. You have so many competitors in a team and obviously, we’re gonna bump heads and I think coach handled the situation the way he felt fit.

“To this day, I don’t regret anything that happened between me and coach. We’re still great buddies and I still look up to him. He’s taught me a lot since I’ve been here and I look to learn even more from him.”

Douthit is aware of the tirades hurled at Reyes for the way the situation played out but he was quick to stand up for his coach, taking responsibility for the part he himself played in the drama.

“All the Filipinos are sticking up for me, but at the same, it takes two to tango. It’s not all Coach Chot’s fault. It’s some of my fault. I just like the way he handled the whole situation, and I respect him for it.”

“There’s no hard feelings. We’re just like family. It’s like my dad yelling at me. I get mad, but at the end of the day, he was right and I was wrong and we move on and we learn from it.”

He was mostly reticent, though, when asked to comment on the specific events in the Qatar match that spurred the whole issue.

“There was a lot of frustration in the game… It’s done, it’s over, and I’m really not gonna talk about it. Let’s just move forward.”

Turning his attention to the future of the Gilas program, Douthit believes it continues to be bright, even comparing it to that of China, and he reaffirmed his commitment to remain a part of the team.

“China’s tough. They’re young and they’re tough and I think what Gilas has started is the same kind of program and we need to keep going so we can stay at the top of Asia.

“We extended before we came. That’s the plan – for me to stay. And whatever the country asks of me, I’m here to do. I hope the Gilas program gets stronger so we can keep building.”

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

Douthit uncertain about Gilas' future

MANILA – Naturalized player Marcus Douthit is proud to have been part of Gilas Pilipinas despite the ups and downs the team has gone through recently.

Douthit, who has been part of the national team since 2010, admitted he doesn’t know where the team will be heading after bombing out in the 2014 Asian Games.

The Philippine nationals started off with a victory over India but suffered 3 consecutive defeats against Iran, Qatar, and South Korea. They also missed the trip to the semis after failing to post a wide margin against Kazakhstan.

Gilas eventually settled for 7th place by beating Mongolia on Wednesday. It was the Philippines' worst finish in Asiad.

“Not sure what the future holds for this team, but I'm extremely honored and proud to have been part of the Gilas program over the last 3 years,” said the 6’11” player in a comment he posted on Instagram.

He wished the next batch of Gilas players will work on the gains they have achieved in international competitions.

“Hope the future team(s) pick up where we left off and carries the flag to even greater heights,” said Douthit.

Douthit was instrumental in Gilas Pilipinas’ second place finish during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, where the team qualified for the 2014 FIBA Worlds.

A younger and more agile Andray Blatche took his place in the world competition, before he was tapped again for national duty in Asiad after Blatche failed to hurdle the eligibility requirements.

But Douthit earned the ire of coach Chot Reyes after failing to make a mark against Qatar. “I'm gonna ask Marcus if he doesn't wanna play, we'll go all Filipino. If he wants to go home, he can go home,” said Reyes after the game against Qatar.

Douthit was benched in the next game against South Korea due to disciplinary issues, but was brought back to duty against Kazakhstan.

From ABS-CBN News

[ShadowShaman]

Dapat na talaga tanggalin si chot. Panay heartbreakers ang pinapagawa, hinahayaan na makahabol lagi ang kalaban.

[Zurca]

SBP exec Sonny Barrios on possibility of Jawo as Gilas coach: ‘Nobody’s in, nobody’s out’

With the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) set to create a shortlist of candidates for potential coaches and players for the Philippine national men’s basketball team, names are already being bandied around as options – including that of former Senator Sonny Jaworski.

SBP executive director spoke highly of ‘The Living Legend’ and made it clear that all possibilities could be explored at this stage, although he said that it was far too early to commit to any name as of yet.

“That’s his offering of his willingness to serve the country, that’s laudable. Alam naman natin yun, he’s a lover of basketball from the very beginning,” Barrios told News5 in an interview on Friday.

“If I remember right, he even gave an inspirational talk to the Gilas team when it was preparing for the World Cup. It’s a noble gesture on his part.”

Barrios added that Jaworski has a “positive” mindset, especially after the PBA legend said that it’s best for the country to move on from the mistakes of the past and simply focus on how to finetune the program for the future.

“Always naman the perspective of, how shall we say, positive looking people like Sen. Jaworski, moving on is really a positive outlook, positive and proactive, as opposed to getting stuck in the past or even in the present,” Barrios said.

“It’s a very healthy opinion and if everybody has that outlook eh di mas madali nga you learn from the past and you move on and battle the future taking into account your past, present and future.”

Barrios stressed that it’s too early to tell which personalities will make the shortlist for coaching candidates but admitted that anyone, including Jaworski, could be considered.

“Mahirap tayo manguna, nobody is in, nobody is out. You may be part of the shortlist,” Barrios said.

“So ganoon tayo ka-open. Hanggang hindi nag-uusap ang committee, hindi ko masasabi sino pwede, sinong hindi pwede.”

From InterAksyon

[Troll Montero]

wow si jawo napipisil na coach ng gilas.. kapag maganda ang resulta puede ulit manalo nang senador

[abrakadabra]

wow si jawo napipisil na coach ng gilas.. kapag maganda ang resulta puede ulit manalo nang senador

parang kampanya ba bossing @Troll Montero ?hehehe

sana kasali si tim cone sa list

[Itachi101]

si tab baldwin na lang
ayoko nang maasar at masira ang araw ko
kapag talo ang gilas 

[Zurca]

Chot Reyes withdraws name from SBP search for next Gilas coach: ‘It’s time for me to hand over that wheel’

Former Philippine national men’s basketball team coach Chot Reyes has asked the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) selection committee not to include his name in the search for the next Gilas Pilipinas head coach.

“I understand the Search Committee is scheduled to meet this week. In this light, I humbly request that my name would not be considered by the Committee as a candidate for the national team coach of Smart Gilas Pilipinas. This will allow the Committee to do its work unencumbered, take a broader view of other potential candidates to this national job, and enable the Gilas program to move on unfettered. Indeed, it is time for someone else (to) take over the wheel; it is time for me to hand over that wheel,” Reyes said in a statement.

Reyes was named head coach of the Gilas national team in 2012, his second stint as national team coach.

Under him, the Philippines finished runner-up in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships in Manila and qualified for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

The team also won the 2012 Jones Cup and picked up a bronze medal at the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup.

“May I say that I have dedicated the past two (2) years serving the National Team to the best of my ability. I have personally derived great pride and much satisfaction for the strides the Gilas program has taken – with the collective effort of everyone involved in the effort.”

“I would like to thank MVP, the SBP, PBA, TV5, the PLDT group, the Gilas supporters, and most especially my family for those two difficult but wonderful years I was given to serve my country and Philippine basketball. Despite the intense pressure that came with the job and the public scrutiny that goes with being the National Coach, this job has always been a unique privilege – I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”

“Salamat, Gilas. Salamat, Pilipinas.”

“Mabuhay tayong lahat. Laban Pilipinas! PUSO!”

From InterAksyon


With Chot Reyes moving on, Gilas players Jimmy Alapag, Gabe Norwood pay tribute to former coach

With former Philippine national men’s basketball team coach Chot Reyes requesting not to be included in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ search for the next Gilas coach, some of his old players took the time to pay tribute to their former mentor.

Former Gilas captain Jimmy Alapag and forward Gabe Norwood both had glowing words for their old coach.

“I think what Coach Chot has done in his years as head coach of Gilas has been great. He led the way for the country regaining global respect in the sport,” Norwood wrote in a text message to InterAksyon.com.

“Whoever follows him will have big shoes to fill.”

Reyes, in his second stint as a head coach of the national team, was able to elevate the team to new heights since taking over the Gilas Pilipinas post two years ago.

The team won a title in the William Jones Cup two years ago before finishing runner-up in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship in Manila, where the team earned qualification for this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Gilas also won a bronze medal in the FIBA Asia Cup earlier this year and picked up a historic first win in the World Cup – the country’s first on the world level in 40 years.

Alapag, who played for Reyes in his first national team stint as well as with the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters in the PBA before coming together as part of Gilas Pilipinas, posted a message for Reyes on his Instagram account.

To my coach, friend, and mentor @coachot THANK YOU for all the memories during our journey with Gilas together. From our struggles in Tokushima and Wuhan, to our triumphs here in Manila and Spain, I wouldn't trade my National Team experience for anything. I value all the lessons I learned from you, both on and off the court. You challenged me to be the best leader and basketball player I could be, and I know because of that I grew as a man as well. I'd go to battle with you anytime Coach. Wish you all the best in whatever lies ahead in the future... #GilasPilipinas #TheCaptain #LabanPilipinas

He said that Reyes’ mentoring made him the best leader and best basketball player he could be, and that he would “go to battle” with Reyes anytime.

From InterAksyon


MVP receives Chot’s withdrawal with ‘much regret’, commends former Gilas coach for ‘courageous’ decision

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Manuel V. Pangilinan accepted on Monday former national team coach Chot Reyes’ decision to withdraw his name from consideration in the search for the next Gilas Pilipinas coach.

“I received Coach Chot’s advice with much regret,” Pangilinan said in a statement.

“I thank and commend him for making what must have been a most difficult but courageous decision—giving up a task and a privilege I know he truly cherishes, as I imagine any coach would.”

Despite leading the Philippines to the world level for the first time in almost 40 years, Reyes has received criticism over the team’s poor showing in the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, where Gilas Pilipinas placed a mere seventh.

Pangilinan added that he hoped Reyes’ legacy with the Gilas program would be judged more compassionately with the passing of time.

“Because the Gilas National Coach is by definition a public person, he should not expect to be free from scrutiny from the people and institutions whose support and comfort he needs. I believe Chot knows this too well. It is my hope however that time and distance will judge the Gilas events, and his performance, in the last two years with a slightly more moderate and compassionate view than that offered by some present-day commentators. This leads me to recall what a sovereign once said – ‘He who has never failed to reach perfection has a right to be the hardest critic.’”

The top SBP official also wished Reyes well in the future.

“Thank you, Chot, from all of us at SBP and the MVP Group of Companies for accepting “the changes and chances of this mortal life.” Hail and Farewell. We wish you well in your future endeavors with us here as a true Kapatid.”

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

‘On a given day’: Tab Baldwin says Philippines has slim chance against Oceania powers Australia, New Zealand

With FIBA’s Asia and Oceania zones set to compete in a new, common Asia-Pacific zone for the qualification for the 2019 Basketball World Cup, things are about to get a whole lot tougher for the next Philippine national men’s basketball team.

That’s because aside from the usual regional powerhouses from around Asia, the Philippines will now have to contend with teams like Australia and New Zealand, both regular fixtures on the world level, in coming FIBA tournaments.

Former New Zealand head coach and recent Gilas Pilipinas consultant Tab Baldwin warned of the challenge that the Oceania teams will pose, though he felt that they would not be entirely unbeatable.

“These two teams, Australia and New Zealand, will come to the Asian zonal as No. 1. Forget world ranking, there isn’t any team in Asia that can stand up to either one of these teams on a consistent basis,” Baldwin told InterAksyon.com in an exclusive interview.

He thinks the Philippines could have a small chance of beating the them, although the Oceania teams will be heavily favored.

“They can be beaten on a given day. They’re gonna have to learn a little bit about Asian basketball, but they know quite a bit because over the years, they picked various teams from Asia to compete against them,” the coach said.

The FIBA Asia and Oceania zones will not undergo a complete merger, with both still competing as separate zones in the qualification for the Olympic Games. For the World Cup, though, the Asia-Pacific zone will be awarded a total of seven spots, with teams from either region able to clinch qualification.

Despite Oceania’s finest looming as powerhouses in the common zone, Baldwin believes there are some positives, especially in the continuing development of the sport in Asia.

“I think the Asian zone has got a lot to learn from New Zealand and Australia. It will significantly strengthen our zone and squeeze the teams at the top in terms of qualification,” he said.

“It’s exciting from some of our fans’ perspective. You’re gonna see new countries and new style of basketball, but it’s not gonna make life easy for anybody in the zone because these are two powerful countries that are getting better every year.”

Baldwin, as coach of the ‘Tall-Blacks’, led New Zealand to the 2002 World Championship, reaching as far as the semifinal round, the best finish by an Oceania team in the history of the tournament.

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

Gilas Pilipinas trounces India to top Group E ahead of FIBA Asia knockout round

The Philippine national men’s basketball team needed to overcome a slow start to dispatch India, 99-65, as Gilas Pilipinas clinched the No.1 seed in Group E of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship Tuesday at CSWC Dayun in Changsha, China.

Terrence Romeo poured in 20 points, four assists and three steals off the bench, while Andray Blatche made 15 markers.

Ranidel De Ocampo added 13 points as Gilas Pilipinas got 12 points apiece from Jayson Castro, Calvin Abueva and Marc Pingris.

The victory propelled Gilas Pilipinas (4-1) to the top spot in Group E as the squad now will face the last-placed qualifier from the other group which could either be Lebanon or Jordan.

But before pulling away with the blowout win, Gilas Pilipinas had to shake off India that put up a tough fight early in the game.

The Filipinos, fresh from a massive upset of defending champion Iran on Monday, started the game flat as India had an answer to every Gilas Pilipinas basket early.

Vishesh Bhriguvanshi and Amjyot Singh were India’s main men in the first half, scoring 13 and 11, respectively, in the first two quarters as they kept India just within striking distance all first half long.

Romeo and De Ocampo, both coming off the bench, powered the Filipinos as they made 11 points apiece in the first half. Behind them, Gilas Pilipinas grabbed a 42-36 halftime lead, with De Ocampo burying a triple at the second quarter buzzer.

Gilas Pilipinas finally got some separation in the third quarter, raising its defense a notch higher with a full-court press to slow India down.

Pingris, who suffered early foul trouble, gave the Filipinos a huge scoring boost with his patented one-handers as he made eight third quarter points to help Gilas Pilipinas finally open up a double-digit spread, 65-50, entering the final frame.

India had one last run, threatening to stay close after trimming the deficit to eight points, 66-58, early in the fourth period following an 8-1 run.

But the Filipinos flexed their muscles, countering with a 25-2 run highlighted by fastbreak plays to grab a 91-60 lead and take the fight out of India.

Gilas Pilipinas will take a break on Wednesday before resuming play in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

From InterAksyon

[naruto789544]

and they will be up against lebanon in the quarters.... let's hope and pray they will go all the way... 

[Zurca]

Gilas proving doubters wrong in FIBA Asia, say ex-national team coaches Cone, Lipa

Before its campaign in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, the Philippine national men’s basketball team didn’t have the most ideal buildup — Gilas Pilipinas only had more than a month of preparation, notwithstanding the unavailability of some players and some injuries.

But the team responded in a big way and took the adversities as a motivation as it tries to bring the Philippines back to the Olympics for the first time since 1972. After a shock loss to Palestine, Gilas Pilipinas swept its remaining games, including a huge upset of defending champion Iran, en route to the No.1 seed in the second round and a favorable path in the knockout stages.

Tim Cone and Joe Lipa, two former national team coaches, believe that the hardships the squad went through only motivated Gilas Pilipinas to be better.

“I think they’re all playing with a chip on their shoulder. I think there are a lot of people saying they can’t do it so they’ve really come together, like it’s us against the world and I think that’s always a good situation for a basketball team and it really pulls them together and makes them tight,” Cone,who coached the Philippine Centennial Team to a bronze medal finish in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, told Fraulein Olavario of News5.

For Cone, the loss against Palestine served as a wakeup call for Gilas Pilipinas.

“That old expression “What doesn’t kill you makes you better”. That Palestine game didn’t kill them because it was early and it was one they can afford to lose but it certainly made them better and stronger,” Cone said.

“I think they just showed incredible character after the Palestine loss. Coach Tab (Baldwin) would probably look back and say that’s probably the hardest thing that ever happened to them but it’s probably maybe the best thing that ever happened to them because it really tested them and made them really find out who they were and they stuck together and they just got better and better from there.

“It was a character builder. That loss was a character-building loss, made them all come together and really think about this. It’s good that you get it all done in the beginning so you don’t have it later on.”

Lipa coached an amateur-laden national team for several years, including the country’s third place finish in the 1986 Asian Games where the Philippines were just a few seconds away from playing in the gold medal game.

A fiery mentor, who led the Philippine squad to a gold medal finish in the Southeast Asian Games in 1987 and 1995, Lipa praised Baldwin who he thought is the main reason behind Gilas Pilipinas’ surge.

“I think you’ve got to give credit to Coach Tab Baldwin. I think he’s a terrific adjuster. He’s a good game coach and after losing to Palestine on the opening game, which is considered a big upset, most of the teams, it would be very, very hard for them to recover. The team rebounded well and they played very, very well in the next three games,” said Lipa.

“A lot of credit should be given to the leadership and I’d like to give credit to coach Baldwin. He’s coming well-prepared, he adjusts well to situations and he exploits every advantage that our country has.”

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: October 01, 2015, 08:52:06 AMGilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia home stretch

MANILA, Philippines - The nights of heart attack games in the knockout stages of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship start for Filipinos at 9:30 pm Thursday, October 1 when the Gilas Pilipinas 5 meet Lebanon in the quarterfinals in Changsha, China.

It is a road littered with revenge. If the Philippines hurdles Lebanon, Japan or Qatar will be the next opponent. Qatar had not been expected to advance this far as their training camp only started in early August, but they were whipped into shape and toughened by overtime victories against Kazakhstan and Lebanon.

It took two overtimes for Qatar to vanquish Lebanon, 105-100, in a game where its top scorer Jasmon Jovan Youngblood was held to 19 points and Mohammad Ali Haidar led with 24 points.

Stunned by Palestine, which was booted out of the quarterfinals by Japan, 74-67, the Philippines routed Kuwait and Hong Kong to enter the second round. Only when the Philippines shocked Iran, 87-83, in a victory still being favored by netizens, did the Philippines take the big first step to hushing doubters.

Lebanon’s road to the quarterfinals was littered with thorns. South Korea won by a 14-point rout and China prevailed by 19 points before Lebanon subdued Jordan, 80-76 to set up the clash with the Philippines.

Youngblood is the man to watch as the 6-foot-4 guard is FIBA Asia’s fifth best scorer with 19 points a game. Their coach, Veselin Matic, handled Iran and knows the Philippines very clear. Matic was quoted by the Philippine Star as saying that 6-foot-11 Andray Blatche “is a bit out of shape."

But this is a Philippine team so different from the first round. The nationals were jolted when Blatche, despite a turned ankle, persevered against Japan when the game seemed to slip past the Philippines. Blatche drew double teams and passed to the open man and Jayson Castro and Calvin Abueva powered the Filipinos, 86-73.

That game and the Iran conquest showed the Philippines are in the thick of the battle to qualify for Rio 2016.

The biggest stat improvement is the assist-to-turnover number. It’s 12.5 to 11.7 in the second round from 13.3 turnovers to 12.7 assists in the first round.

Individually Castro leads with 2.2 assists followed by Gabe Norwood’s 1.7 assists. This pales to Lebanon’s Wael Arakji 3.2.

As a team, the Philippines and Lebanon are tied with 79 but the Philippines has committed less turnovers.

In scoring, the Philippines relies heavily on Blatche’s 16.2 points a game, the same tally as Castro. This makes them tied for ninth place in individual scoring. In rebounds, Blatche is 12th with 8 boards followed by Calvin Abueva with 6.8 and Ranidel de Ocampo with 6.

Should the Philippines defeat Lebanon, Japan and Qatar are both tough customers. Qatar is riding on the leadership of Trey Johnson’s the league’s third best scorer with 20.6 points per game, plus momentum.

But momentum is fleeting. One or two bad plays, half-hearted defense or self-confidence and the tide of battle shifts to the other side. The momentum belongs to the Philippines. For now.

From Rappler

[tonistork]

Let's go Gilas.

Sana makapasok tayo all the way sa final.

[Zurca]

FIBA ASIA GAME PREVIEW | Gilas Pilipinas takes on Lebanon in crucial knockout round opener

CHANGSHA – The Philippine national men’s basketball team now enters the most crucial stage of their 2015 FIBA Asia Championship campaign as they take on Lebanon in the quarterfinal round on Thursday at the Changsha Social Work College (CSWC) Dayun here in Hunan, China.

Gilas Pilipinas, which emerged as the No. 1 team in the Group E of the second round of competition, enters the final stretch of their run, where they will see just what this team is made of.

THE STAKES

It’s the knockout stages now where a single loss would mean elimination so the stakes, as the cliché goes, have never been higher.

This Gilas team, despite the bumps and bruises along the way, has aspired for nothing less than a gold medal in this tournament. They’ve kept their heads up despite losses and managed their elation in victory as they remain focused on the next game. As naturalized player Andray Blatche said, “There’s always a next game.”

This is going to be a huge game, undoubtedly the biggest they’ve faced although it will only get more significant from this point on.

A win would also send them through to the semifinals, assuring they’ll finish no lower than fourth. While only the winner of the tournament gets a berth to the 2016 Rio Olympics, the next three teams earn at least a spot in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, keeping the Olympic dream alive for Gilas.


THE STARTERS

Projected Starters

Gilas Pilipinas
C Andray Blatche
F Ranidel De Ocampo
F Gabe Norwood
G Dondon Hontiveros
G Jayson Castro

Lebanon
C Bassel Bawji
F Mohamad Ali Haidar
F Jean Abd El Nour
G Jay Youngblood
G Wael Arakji

Gilas coach Tab Baldwin has typically started star players Andray Blatche and Jayson Castro alongside smart, capable veterans Gabe Norwood and Dondon Hontiveros. He may make a small change regarding the fifth member of the starting unit – Ranidel De Ocampo has been solid in the starting role but he could experiment with using a defensive player like Marc Pingris against a strong offensive team like Lebanon.


THE SCOUTING REPORT

This is a team that Gilas Pilipinas could have had an early look at in the MVP Cup but Lebanon pulled out last minute, forcing the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas had to scramble to find a replacement (eventually landing on Talk ‘N Text). Now, there’s no more hiding with both teams expected to bring out the big guns in the quarterfinal round.

Lebanon has a prolific, offensive-minded unit that can put points on the board. They’re led in scoring by naturalized player Jay Youngblood, who is averaging 19 points per game. The guy can do it all on offense – hit threes (1.7 per game), get to the line (6.7 attempts from the stripe) and even pass (his 3.0 assist average is second on the team, only 0.2 behind the leader). But where he really shines is in his finishing.

Around the rim and inside the paint, Youngblood is shooting 63%. That’s not a place where the Philippines will want this guy to be shooting so look for them to try and take that away from him. He’s also shooting 60% on three-pointers from the left wing although his percentage dips a bit from the top of the key and the opposite wing.

He has plenty of help around him, too. Mohamad Ali Haidar is a solid scorer, he’s averaging 14.3 points per game and, like Youngblood, making 1.7 threes on 4.7 attempts per game. He’s also rebounding well, grabbing 6.7 a game.

21-year-old Wael Arakji is a promising young point guard with plenty of size to spare (at 6-foot-4!) that can take it to the hoop but also find open teammates on his drives. They have some big guys that crash the boards led by Bassel Bawji.

But their X-factor may be Ahmad Ibrahim. He has not played in the last three games due to injury but has been a high-volume shooter when he was playing. Gilas is expecting him to be healthy in for this match and having an additional scorer out there would only to serve to make the team more dangerous.

Lebanon is more of an offensive team than a defensive one, though. They score 109.8 points per 100 possessions although they are giving about as much (at 108.0). They have an effective field goal percentage (taking into account the extra point given to three-pointers) of 53.1% and a true shooting percentage (factoring in the ability to earn and make free throws) of 58.1%.

Gilas is going to have to find a way to stop that offense but also make them pay on the other end.


THE PREDICTION

Gilas Pilipinas will have a formidable opponent in the quarterfinals (although, less formidable than it could have been). As members of the team have said over and over since their win against India, all of the games will be tough from this point on.

But this Philippine team has done very well preparing for opponents, scouting games and applying things that they’ve learned in practice. Given that extra day to prepare, Gilas will be more than ready for Lebanon.

Hopefully, it will be one step closer to the prize for Gilas.

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: October 01, 2015, 05:07:13 PM‘WALA MUNANG BIRUAN’ | Gilas players more serious ahead of FIBA Asia quarterfinal, says Marc Pingris

CHANGSHA – The Philippine national men’s basketball team understands just how important their upcoming FIBA Asia Championship quarterfinal game against Lebanon is and the players have taken steps to ensure that their unwavering single-mindedness holds until the job done.

During the team’s noontime shooting around on the day of the quarterfinal, veteran center Asi Taulava requested that the team skip one of their more enjoyable post-practice rituals – a usually rowdy shooting contest from the halfcourt – and simply stay focus on the game ahead of them, a request that Gilas coach Tab Baldwin was quick to accept.

Marc Pingris, one of the more fun-loving members of the team, admitted that they’re taking a more serious approach in the meantime.

“Sobrang focused kami ngayon. Talagang wala munang biruan. In the past mga ilang araw, nandiyan yung biruan eh. Pero ngayon instead of biruan, iniisip namin yung defense namin mamaya, kung anong gagawin namin mamaya,” he told InterAksyon.com in an exclusive interview.

Their quarterfinal matchup, which kicks off at 9:30 p.m. at the Changsha Social Work College (CSWC) Dayun here in Hunan, China, could determine whether or not Gilas’ Olympic dream will continue.

The champion of the tournament will earn a berth to the 2016 Olympic basketball tournament but the next three teams will advance to next year’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Gilas enters the knockout round as the No. 1 seed in Group E and will face the 4th seed of Group F in Lebanon.

Though the may seem favored over their opponents, Pingris doesn’t put too much stock in rankings at this stage of the competition.

”Ito na yung pinaka-importante na laro natin eh. Useless yung number 1 or number 2 ka kasi isang talo ka dito, laglag ka eh,” he said.

”So kailangan, every time talaga, focus ka talaga sa lahat ng gagawin mo.”

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: October 01, 2015, 11:04:43 PMGilas Pilipinas survives Lebanon to book FIBA Asia semis ticket, move closer to Olympic dream

The Philippine national men’s basketball team came moved a step closer to its Olympic dream after surviving Lebanon, 82-70, in the quarterfinals of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship Thursday at College of Social Work Dayun in Changsha, China.

Jayson Castro and Andray Blatche provided the firepower anew for Gilas Pilipinas in this win. Castro finished 24 points with while Blatche compiled 24 points and 17 boards for the Filipinos.

With the win, Gilas Pilipinas is now in the semifinals where they will face Japan. The Filipinos are also already assured of a spot in the Olympic wildcard tournament next year if ever it fails to win the FIBA Asia crown and an outright spot to the prestigious competition in Brazil next year.

Castro went on fire in the first quarter, scoring 12 points in the period alone. He and Blatche fueled Gilas Pilipinas’ scoring machine early as they

But Lebanon had its own weapons, with big men Mohammad Ali Haidar and Bassel Bawji making Gilas Pilipinas defense work.

The Filipinos held a 20-16 lead in the first quarter, and pushed it to as much as nine points in a couple of stretches in the second period.

But Lebanon, despite Blatche’s prowess and some contributions from Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo, kept close while the Filipinos, with the exception of Castro, struggled from downtown, only making four out of 17 attempts.

Despite that, Gilas Pilipinas still managed to grab a 37-32 edge at halftime.

Gilas Pilipinas finally opened up a double-digit spread, 46-34, with over four minutes left in the third period after a 7-0 run led by Castro, who scored 10 points in the period alone.

The Filipinos had some anxious moments when Blatche hurt his shoulder after a hard foul by Jay Youngblood. But the naturalized center seemed fine as he returned to action a few moments after the incident.

Despite several scares from Lebanon, Gilas Pilipinas still came away with a 57-49 lead heading into the final frame.

Buoyed by the support from the Chinese crowd, Lebanon continued to fight, with a bailout triple from Youngblood keeping them just down by four, 61-57.

But Gilas Pilipinas countered with a huge run ignited as Blatche kept on attacking and Romeo making one tough jumper for a 69-59 lead with 3:50 left.

Lebanon tried to stay close, hitting late triples. But timely baskets by Castro and Marc Pingris put the result away.

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: October 01, 2015, 11:27:03 PM

Post Merge: October 02, 2015, 08:40:17 PMFIBA ASIA SEMIFINAL PREVIEW | Third time’s the charm for Gilas Pilipinas, Japan?

CHANGSHA – The Philippine national men’s basketball team is through to the semifinal round of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship and standing in their way right now is an all too familiar opponent in Japan.

The two teams will be facing each other for the third time in the last couple of weeks after facing off first in the William Jones Cup and again in the second round of this tournament – both of those Gilas Pilipinas wins.

But Gilas coach Tab Baldwin is wary of the task of trying to beat the same opponent three straight times with Japan maybe having the luxury of knowing what to expect from the Philippines in a third encounter.


THE STAKES

The Philippines has already booked at least a ticket to the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers by virtue of being one of the top four teams in the tournament but they’re hoping they don’t have to use that and simply qualify outright.

They can do that by handling their business against Japan tonight before going out and get what may be the biggest win in recent Philippine basketball history in an epic finals clash against the winner of the brutal Iran-China semifinal match on the other side of the bracket.

The first step to ensuring an Olympic spot starts will start with Japan.


THE STARTERS

The starting lineup for the Philippines has not changed much. Expect the same faces to be on the floor for Gilas to open hostilities against Japan.

Naturalized player Andray Blatche seems to be rounding into form, posting monster numbers of 24 points and 17 rebounds in the quarterfinal against Lebanon. Jayson Castro has been proving that his Best Point Guard in Asia title in Manila in 2013 was no fluke, putting up multiple 20-point games in the tournament. That two-punch combination is a difficult matchup for any team in the continent.

The pair is surrounded by veteran players that can all contribute in different ways. Ranidel De Ocampo has been solid in the stretch-4 role beside what Iran coach Dirk Bauermann calls a stretch-5 in Blatche. Dondon Hontiveros, when he’s hot, can light it up with the best of them. Gabe Norwood, probably the weakest shooter of the five, has steadily increased his confidence after putting in a lot of work on his jumper as well.

This Gilas five has been a strong anchor for the team even if some of the more exciting performers like Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva have come off the bench.


THE PREDICTION

Gilas Pilipinas will have to contend with a very tough Japan side that will be dangerous to underestimate. But this is a team the Filipinos know they can beat.

They did their job in the preliminary group stages and were able to avoid Iran and China in their bracket. Out of all the pre-tournament contenders, Gilas is the team with the most favorable path to the final.

With that so close, expect Gilas to leave it all on the floor tonight in the hopes of, at the very least, matching their dream runner-up campaign from two years ago.

From InterAksyon
Post Merge: October 02, 2015, 11:39:38 PMGilas Pilipinas prevails anew over Japan to reach FIBA Asia finals

The Philippine national men’s basketball team got pushed to the limit once again by Japan but still remained victorious in their semifinal encounter ,81-70, as Gilas Pilipinas advanced to the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship finals Friday at College of Social Work Dayun in Changsha, China.

Dondon Hontiveros had his best game in the tournament, scoring 18 points on six triples, including the dagger one late in the game that kept the resilient Japanese at bay.

Gilas Pilipinas will now take on a gargantuan task of beating host China in the final on Saturday, where an outright spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics is at stake.

The Filipinos had a tough outing over the Japanese in their first meeting in the second round, and it was almost the same in their rematch.

Despite Andray Blatche carrying the scoring cudgels early, Gilas Pilipinas still had a lethargic start especially on the defensive end. Japan took advantage of the time when he hit the bench, grabbing a 23-16 second quarter lead after a 12-0 run bridging the first two quarters.

But Jayson Castro came to the rescue and scored eight straight points to put Gilas Pilipinas back on top, 24-23.

The Japanese had an answer in Makoto Hiejima whose hot shooting pounced the Filipinos’ defense. He scored 22 points at halftime, including two straight and-ones that regained Japan a six-point lead, 35-29.

But Hontiveros found his touch late in the second period, burying two triples late in the quarter that helped Gilas Pilipinas tie the game at 37-all. Both teams settled for a 39-all stalemate at halftime.

The Filipinos, behind Castro again, then grabbed an eight-point lead, 54-46, late in the third frame, only to lose it due to turnovers and fouls. Japan made an 8-0 run ending the quarter to knot the game once again at 54-all entering the fourth period.

Gilas Pilipinas started the final frame with five straight points courtesy of Castro and Hontiveros. A triple and three free throws by Ranidel De Ocampo off a foul from beyond the arc then pushed their lead back to eight, 65-57, with over six minutes left.

But Japan kept within striking distance as Gilas Pilipinas kept on giving fouls. With the Filipinos holding a 74-68 lead, Hontiveros fired a triple on a fastbreak to give them a nine-point lead and seal the win.

From InterAksyon

Post Merge: October 03, 2015, 10:49:37 AMGilas’ Andray Blatche expects ‘dogfight’ with familiar faces on Team China in FIBA Asia final

CHANGSHA – After surviving a grueling semifinal battle against Japan on Friday, the Philippine national men’s basketball team is now one game away from winning the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.

Standing in its way, however, may be this Gilas Pilipinas team’s biggest challenge to date – a winner-take-all final against host China in front of what should be a hostile crowd at the Changsha Social Work College Dayun here in Changsha, Hunan, China.

Gilas center Andray Blatche, who has played with and against many of the Chinese players in the Chinese Basketball Association, knows how high the level of competition will be.

“It’s gonna be a dogfight tomorrow. I know all of the guys over there. Very good players. All of them. It’s gonna be a hell of a game tomorrow,” Blatche said after his team’s semifinal win.

Blatche is very familiar with several of China’s national players. He and Yi Jianlian were teammates with the Washington Wizards in the NBA and he recently teamed up with China’s teenage star Zhou Qi with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the CBA.

He even gave a bit of shoutout to Yi when asked about a monster jam he made in his team’s own semifinal game. “It was nice, Yi,” Blatche said to a camera for local Chinese media.

But he said that he’ll be focused on getting the job done for the Philippines.

“We came here with a goal. And we’re here. Now all we’ve got is one game left,” he said.

And in typical Gilas fashion, Blatche said that it’s going to take ‘Puso’ to win it all.

“For us, (the key is) to play with a lot of heart. And never stop.”

From InterAksyon

[Zurca]

FIBA ASIA FINAL PREVIEW | Gilas Pilipinas out for gold in title clash with host China

CHANGSHA – It’s only fitting that the road to the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship’s gold medal will have to run through China.

The Philippine national men’s basketball team has enjoyed what has been an almost ideal path to the championship rounds. They got a favorable draw in the preliminary group stages – one that even allowed them the margin of error of a surprising opening day loss to Palestine and still clinch the No. 1 seed of Group E after a sweep of the second round.

Gilas had a difficult matchup with Iran, but it was one they had been preparing about a month for. In the knockout rounds, they also drew some respectable but very beatable opponents in Lebanon and Japan.

It has been a little odd that the Philippine team – so often the underdog – look like a legitimate favorite that’s been there before for much of the tournament.

But the true test, despite the stiff challenge presented by defending champion Iran, was always going to be the hometown team China, for so long the bullies in Asian continental basketball. In this tournament, China has gone unbeaten, boasting of a winning margin of almost 23 points per game.

Against China, the Philippines will again be the underdog, the team out to earn the respect of the region. Against China and its hulking new frontline, they’re going to have to play bigger than themselves, faster than themselves, better than themselves.

If the Philippines was going to reclaim its spot as the No. 1 team in Asia, it was going to have to be like this – a character game against a powerhouse team.


THE STAKES

Everything.

The FIBA Asia Championship trophy. The title of best team in Asia. The lone automatic berth to the 2016 Rio Olympic basketball tournament.

Everything is at stake in this game and both teams know it.


THE STARTERS

The Philippines has used a stable starting lineup with plenty of veteran savvy. Naturalized player Andray Blatche and 2013 FIBA Asia Best Point Guard Jayson Castro anchor the team’s offense. Blatche has been averaging 17.9 points and 9.8 rebounds while Castro isn’t far behind with 17.8 alongside 2.8 assists.

They are flanked by a number of veterans in the starting unit. Ranidel De Ocampo and Gabe Norwood – alongside Castro – have both been serving as part of the national team since 2013, competing in the FIBA Asia and the FIBA Basketball World Cup the following year. The fifth member is 38-year-old captain Dondon Hontiveros, who has been to many international tournaments as well.

On the other side, though, is a unit that epitomizes China’s youth movement. They have an average age of 22.6 years old.

7-foot-1 teenage sensation Zhou Qi is all of 19 while the backcourt is usually composed of 20-year-old Zhao Ji Wei and 22-year-old Ding Yanyuhang. Their most senior members are former NBA player Yi Jianlian (27) and captain Zhou Peng (25).

It will be an interesting clash of styles when China’s tall, long, athletic lineup takes on the skill and smarts of the Gilas five.


THE SCOUTING REPORT

Yi is still China’s best player, averaging team-highs of 17.4 points and 8 rebounds per game. He has shown skill, physicality, athleticism and even a bit of a nasty edge in this tournament, probably making him one of the top contenders for tournament MVP.

As a team, China has been an efficient offensive unit that knows how to get the ball in the hands of the right people at the right spots.

They have a bunch of terrific athletes running the guard spots, including point guard Guo Ailun, who is their second-best scorer and their top assist guy (at four dimes per game). His ability to get to the rim opens up a lot of space for shooters like Zhou Peng and Li Gen, who are both shooting over 50% from three-point range.

They’re also have some great, young big men that are emerging as strong offensive options. Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin have been pretty effective for China despite their combined ages still being younger than the Philippines’ Asi Taulava.

A look at their shot chart shows that they know where they want their shots to come from and that’s in the paint and outside the arc – some of the most efficient spots in basketball.

They’ve been great at distributing touches as well. Their three players with the most two-point attempts – Yi, Guo and Zhou Qi – are combining to shoot 61.2% from that area while their three highest-volume shooters from beyond the arc – Zhou Peng, Li and Zhai Xiaochuan – are sizzling at 50.6% from three-point range.

It’s not wonder that this Chinese team has been dominating the offensive end, putting up an Offensive Efficiency rating of 119.8, which is really, really high. They not only shoot a great percentage from the field, they mop up a lot of their misses as well (grabbing nearly 40% of available rebounds on their offensive end) which leads to an offense that scores nearly every time they bring the ball up.


THE PREDICTION

This will be a very difficult test for Gilas Pilipinas. China has a very good team and will have the support of what should be a capacity crowd (of 7,000) at the Changsha Social Work College Dayun on Saturday.

China, for most of the FIBA Asia, has been playing like the best team in the competition. But in a one-game knockout, Filipinos know that anything at all can happen. Gilas will enter the game the underdogs but don’t believe for one second that they don’t think they can win this game.

They will undoubtedly bring the ‘Puso’ in this one final game – one that could cement the legacies of not only this Gilas team but each individual player that labored to be part of it.

Whether that will be enough against China, will remain to be seen.

From InterAksyon