AS he lounges on a folding chair at the PhilSports Arena just before a Gilas Pilipinas practice, coach Chot Reyes was asked if the hosts will need nothing short of a 'perfect game' to beat a team like Dominican Republic.
“Something like that,” Reyes replied with nod and a grin.
READ: Reyes says 'it will take a village' to beat KAT, Dominican Republic
The Philippines starts its World Cup campaign against FIBA Americas qualifier Dominican Republic and NBA All-Star and Minnesota Timberwolves big Karl-Anthony Towns at 8 p.m. on Friday, at the 55,000-capacity Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Towns, whom Reyes described as a “legitimate NBA All-Star and first-team player,” will be the Filipinos’ biggest problem as the hosts look to begin an ambitious bid to advance past the group stage and punch a ticket to the Paris Olympics as the best Asian finisher.
Reyes has a host of big men in Kai Sotto, June Mar Fajardo, AJ Edu, and Jamie Malonzo to throw at Towns, but the defensive conundrum had Reyes looking back to a crafty forward he had in his past Gilas teams.
“Yung katulad ni Ranidel de Ocampo, pwede rin ilagay kay Towns,” said Reyes.
Though giving up considerable height and weight to players like Towns, De Ocampo was noted for his defensive ferocity and was an impregnable wall, along with Marc Pingris, when Gilas, also then coached by Reyes, beat arch-nemesis South Korea in the semifinal of the FIBA Asian Championship in 2013 to clinch a return ticket to the World Cup in Spain the following year.
Who'll be Reyes' RDO this time? Let's see.
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