DESPITE what coach Chot Reyes referred to as its worst game so far, Gilas Pilipinas was still able to pull through a 70-61 win over Ukraine’s Under-20 team late Saturday at Zalgirio Arena.
Energetic Rhenz Abando led the Gilas charge as he kept the team in control of the game for most of the part.
See Chot on Gilas losses in Estonia camp: 'It’s all part of the process'
Back-to-back baskets by the former NCAA Rookie-MVP out of Letran gave the Philippines a 59-50 lead which it managed to protect till the endgame.
It was the first victory for the national team in three games so far in its ongoing training camp in Europe as it prepares for the FIBA World Cup.
Yet, Reyes was far from satisfied with the way Gilas played against a Ukrainian side which he described as a ‘tall team, well-disciplined, and well-coached.’
“If I were to rate it, I think this is the worst game that we played since the start,” Reyes said in a post-game interview by Carlo Pamintuan, official media officer of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
“I know this is the game that we won but I thought there’s a lot more to be desired.”
Reyes specifically was hard on the defensive lapses committed by the team, which played minus Scottie Thompson (back spasm) and Chris Newsome (bruised knee).
“Of course we came in without our top two point guards, so it was kind of understandable in our overall journey,” he said.
The two sides will play again on Sunday in the second of what Reyes expects as a four-game tuneup in this basketball hotbed.
Earlier, Gilas lost twice in a row against Estonia (81-71) and Finland (89-85) in Tallinn, Estonio during the initial part of its training camp in Europe.
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