GILAS Pilipinas seeks to sustain its gains from a dramatic overtime win against Jordan last Friday when it goes up against Iran at the close of the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Here is a preview:
PHILIPPINES VS. IRAN
When: Sunday, August 30. 8 p.m.
Where: Mall of Asia Arena
Stay within reach of World Cup berth
Gilas will be going for its second straight victory in its duel against Iran. The Philippines is coming off a thrilling 82-81 overtime win over Jordan. With the battle for four World Cup berths heating up, the Philippines must win on Sunday. The Nationals own a 3-4 win-loss record entering the match against Iran, which has a 5-2 mark.
Iran also wants a win to get back on track after losing to New Zealand, 93-91, in overtime last Friday.
Kaiju out for strong finish this window
Gilas is looking forward to another strong showing by Kai Sotto for Sunday’s game. Sotto showed how impactful he is to Gilas after he finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks against the Jordan Falcons in his first game with the national team in two years. Sotto also delivered the game-saving block to preserve the effort of Kevin Quiambao, who knocked down thego-ahead three with 11.7 seconds left in overtime.
After this game, it could take awhile again for Sotto to play for the national team especially with reports that Sotto is eyeing a stint in the NCAA this year. Expect Sotto to play with a lot of fire once again in front of the Filipino fans on Sunday.
Eyes on Amini
Based on his credentials, the defense of Gilas will be wary of Mo Amini. Iran’s young star recently had a stint with the Boston Celtics in the NBA Summer League, with the 21-year-old also playing professional basketball in France. Amini didn’t have a great shooting night on Friday against New Zealand where he went 4-of-14 from the field, and the bounce back could happen against Gilas.
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Gilas should start strong
In beating Jordan, Gilas needed to overcome an 18-point deficit, 26-8. Fortunately, Gilas was able to mount that huge comeback to win in overtime. But if Gilas isn’t careful, another slow start against Iran could prove costly
Shooting needs to be addressed
Gilas may have won against Jordan but there are some things that still needs to be addressed, and it relates to shooting. The Philippines has generally struggled from three-point range all qualifiers long, and Friday was no exception as Gilas only made four of their 22 attempts from that distance. The free throws were also a problem for the home side, going 14-of-23 from the line.
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