GILAS Pilipinas has not won a Fiba Basketball World Cup game since 2014, and it is a streak that head coach Chot Reyes and the rest of team will try to break when they face China at the close of their campaign on Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The last time Gilas won was in Seville where they beat Senegal, 83-76, to finish the 2014 World Cup with a win. Since then, the Philippines is on a nine-game losing streak heading into the 8 p.m. match against China at the Big Dome.
See Gilas Pilipinas looks to regroup for final game in Fiba World Cup
“We are faced with the same exact situation,” said Reyes. “The last time I coached the World Cup in 2014, when we faced the last game against Senegal with no chance to advance. Same situation now.
The Philippines will try to avoid a repeat of 1978 where the host country went winless in the tournament. Colombia is the other team that didn’t capture a single win as host in 1982.
Gilas Pilipinas is fresh from an 87-68 loss to South Sudan, eliminating the home team from clinching a direct qualification in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
There is still though a chance to grab an invite to the 2024 Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament if Gilas Pilipinas wound up as the ‘next best Asia/Oceania’ team in the tournament.
China though could be in line for an OQT invite after it beat Angola, 83-76, on Thursday, putting them in the mix with New Zealand and Lebanon in that race.
Reyes and the squad are determined to capture a win in their final outing.
“Try to put everything together for one last push, knowing that there’s really no bearing except pride and fight for country, for service which is exactly why we are all here in the first place, no matter how difficult this job is… Hopefully, we come in and play our best on Saturday,” said Reyes.
China coach Sasa Djordevic is also keen on giving his team another victory.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game with the home crowd. Just go for it. Obviously, it’s important to our goal for the Olympics. Depends on the other teams. But we will be ready,” said Djordevic.
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