FORMER Batang Gilas coach Jamike Jarin said beating China is a huge boost to the confidence of the national youth team but warned against complacency as they go deeper into the 2015 Fiba-Asia Under-16 Championship.
Jarin was pleased to see Batang Gilas turn back China, a feat he himself wasn’t able to do when he was the national youth coach two years ago.
[See Batang Gilas outsteadies erstwhile unbeaten China in Fiba Asia Under-16 Championship]
Under Jarin’s watch, the Philippine squad made it to the finals in 2013 but lost to China in the gold medal match. Nevertheless, the Batang Gilas cagers made it to the 2014 Fiba Under-17 Championship as a top three finisher in Asia.
The assistant coach of that Jarin-led team is Mike Oliver, who is now the man in charge for Batang Gilas in this year’s Fiba-Asia U16 Championship.
Jarin said the victory over China will be a big boost to their campaign as they go to the quarterfinal round against Japan.
“Congratulations to coach Mike and his staff and especially to the boys. Beating China in a Fiba tournament is always a morale boosting for all of us.
“This will be a confidence builder for us going to the knockout stages,” Jarin said.
The victory over China also allowed Batang Gilas to avoid an early clash with the heayweights, with a possible semifinal clash with the winner of the Chinese Taipei-Thailand quarterfinal. China and Korea are on track for a face off in the other semifinal.
Despite the win over China, Jarin, however, warned against complacency in the next rounds.
“We should be happy but we can’t celebrate,” said Jarin.
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