Hapless Gilas Pilipinas 5
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
INDUBITABLY, the talk in the world of sports today is the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 being hosted by three Asian countries namely the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The main hub (opening and closing ceremony) is in our country. I believe the world governing body International Basketball Federation or better known as FIBA is very aware that Filipinos extremely love basketball which is why it chose our country again to be the main host of the August 25-September 10 world tiffs.
But as the “Expect the unexpected” maxim says, as all the three games of our “Gilas Pilipinas” national team all ended as major letdowns despite a hopeful squad led by homegrown product 7’3” Kai Sotto and bolstered by twin towers 6’10’s June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu, the experienced 6’9” Japeth Aguilar and NBA superstar Filipino-American 6’5” point-guard Jordan Clarkson. All exuded confidence and energy particularly as a defense team because of their height. Pundits say our national team this year is the tallest among all the nationals that we ever sent abroad for international competitions and probably also one of the best in terms of skills. I agree sans doubt, but that did not materialize.
What happened now to our nationals was what happened four years ago (2019) in China where the Philippines never tasted a victory during the elimination round and was automatically booted out for the second phase. We lost our initial game against a Latino squad 23rd-FIBA rated Dominican Republic, 87-81, boosted by two NBA superstars Mark-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Francisco Golden State Warriors’ Lester Quiñones. Even the morale boosting cheers of the hometown crowd and the team’s familiarity with the court at the gigantic Philippine Arena in Bocaue, did not help. Even the FIBA lowly rated (41st) Angola quintet gave us the biggest blow with 10 points advantage, 80-70, then the world’s 10th ranked Italian five, 90-83.
What a shame. Our nationals gave all their best but their best was not good enough to please the hometown throng whose number one favorite sport is basketball. Our capabilities in this James Naismith, invented sport is unquestionably improving but other nations are doing much better. “Height is might and experience is the best teacher,” as the axioms say in basketball and undoubtedly, we got that combo aspect – both, the height and the skills. But our contingent was still hapless like our contingent sent to China. Something was wrong and many fault head coach Chot Reyes for the team’s embarrassing loses. They say it was his incompetence and inadequacy to lead in a world competition. We watched it on tv how our nationals lost their three games, consecutively. Our Gilas Pilipinas last hope was to win its last two games in the classification round that would have pitted us against South Sudan on August 31 and China on September 2, both to be conducted at Smart Araneta Coliseum. A two-win sweep by our nationals may still not be a sure ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics because the outcome (win-loss point-deference) of all Asian contingents: Philippines, Japan, China, Iran, South Korea, Jordan. Remember, only one Asian country that passes the test can represent the continent in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. MATTHEW 7: 21
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