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    Guiao's battle plan vs China: 'Keep it close, be aggressive, play defense'

    Guiao lays down battle plan vs China in Asian Games with Clarkson on board
    Aug 17, 2018
    Zhou Qi of the Houston Rockets and Ding Yanyuhang of the Dallas Mavericks are expected to lead China in Tuesday's game against the Philippines.
    PHOTO: AP

    JAKARTA – The Philippine men’s basketball team has started to plot ways of bringing down rival China at the 2018 Asian Games, breaking down film at the Athletes' Village after Friday's practice.

    Scouting, national coach Yeng Guiao said, will be key if this hastily assembled national team backstopped by NBA player Jordan Clarkson hopes to cut China down to size in their match for group leadership on Tuesday.

    “You play the teams that you play in the international tournaments like you have played them before even if you haven't,” said Guiao. “And that’s the function of scouting. Kung maganda scouting mo, parang nakalaban mo na sila, mas madali ka mag-react, mas madali ka mag-adjust.”

    “That’s our homework now. We go back to the village and at 5 (Jakarta time), we will look at film,” Guiao added.

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      Guiao admitted though that even with intensive scouting on China, the Philippines remains the underdog in Tuesday’s match. But having Clarkson in the team gives the Philippines a better chance of winning against China, he added.

      “Of course, we have to admit na talagang favorite sila,” said Guiao. “But we may have cut a little of the odds. It’s still a powerhouse team. We are just a team that kumbaga hastily-set up. Even if we have Jordan Clarkson, we are still going to be the underdogs. As I said, if we are 100 to 1 underdog before, baka 100 to 20 na, nadagdagan ‘yung odds sa atin.”

      China will be reinforced by two NBA players in Zhou Qi of the Houston Rockets and Ding Yanyuhang of Dallas Mavericks in the Asiad.

      Needless to say, Guiao likes Gilas' chances.

      “The more important thing is we feel that we have a chance to win. Dati parang wala talagang chance. (Now) we feel that we have a chance to win. The more important thing is keep the game close, be aggressive for 40 minutes, and try to duplicate the defense that we played against Kazakhstan,” said Guiao.

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      Zhou Qi of the Houston Rockets and Ding Yanyuhang of the Dallas Mavericks are expected to lead China in Tuesday's game against the Philippines.
      PHOTO: AP
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