GILAS Pilipinas has no plan to rest in the final days leading up to its FIBA Basketball World Cup debut against Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Asked whether he will consider giving his players a break after three grueling tune-up games — the third and last against Mexico on Monday night —Gilas coach Chot Reyes said there is no such plan.
READ: Vucevic sparks Montenegro breakaway vs Gilas
“Hindi na, tuloy-tuloy na kami, tatlong araw na lang e,” Reyes said minutes after Gilas Pilipinas lost to Montenegro and Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, 102-87, on Sunday night at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Reyes used a 14-man roster against the Montenegrins, sitting out Ray Parks and Thirdy Ravena while giving Calvin Oftana some minutes after all three missed the Ivory Coast friendly last Friday.
Indications are that Reyes will be exhausting his remaining pre-World Cup team practices starting Tuesday to further sharpen the team’s game before submitting his Final 12 lineup at the managers’ meeting on August 23 or 24.
Gilas kicks off its bid to emerge as the World Cup’s top Asian finisher, thereby securing a spot to the Paris Olympics next year, on August 25 against FIBA Americas qualifier Dominican Republic.
The Nationals next face FIBA Africa entry Angola on August 27, and wrap up the first round of the Group Phase against world No. 10 Italy, from FIBA Europe, on August 29.
Two wins out of three could gain the Philippines passage to the second round of the group phase where the top two teams from the bracket that contains South Sudan, China, Puerto Rico and Serbia await.
The Dominican Republic, behind Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, beat Canada, 94-88, in a friendly in Granada, Spain recently.
Reyes, who describes Towns as a “legitimate NBA All-Star first team player,” said the Dominican Republic is “truly strong,” adding that although it lost to defending champion Spain in a succeeding tune-up 86-77, it still looked impressive
“They have Towns and that other guy, [Lester] Quiñones,” said Reyes. “They are very good. The game against Spain was close [up to the third quarter].”
Montenegro head coach Bosko Radovic said his team played with “hesitation” in the first half, “on both offense and defense,”
“I think we played with more discipline in the second half,” said Radovic, whose team is bracketed in Group D with Egypt, Mexico, and world No. 8 Lithuania, the group phase games to be played at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
