GILAS Pilipinas battles Kazakhstan as it looks to get into the win column on Saturday in the 20th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament at the Aichi International Arena.
KAZAKHSTAN VS. PHILIPPINES
When: Saturday, September 12. 7 p.m. Aichi-Nagoya time (6 p.m. Philippine time)
Where: Aichi International Arena
Search of first win
Gilas Pilipinas and Kazakhstan battle for their first win on Saturday with the winner keeping their hopes alive for a quarterfinal berth. Gilas Pilipinas suffered an 89-85 loss to Bahrain last Friday to open their title defense of the Asiad. Kazakhstan was blown out by China, 99-51, in the opening game.
Nocum, Bolick status
Gilas Pilipinas will come into the match-up with two players getting hurt in their game against Bahrain. Adrian Nocum rolled his right ankle late in the game against Bahrain, after an impressive performance where he had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Robert Bolick, meanwhile, got hurt during the pre-game warm-ups, and ended up scoreless against Bahrain.
READ SCENARIOS: Gilas bid for a quarterfinal spot just got way tougher
Bolick’s shooting woes
Bolick will try to get out of a shooting slump in the game against Kazakhstan. The NLEX guard was sorely missed after he missed all of his five shots, all on threes, against Bahrain. Counting the two tune-up games against Korea, Bolick has now missed all of his 15 threes for Gilas Pilipinas.
Oftana goes off
Gilas Pilipinas hopes to see the same production from Calvin Oftana in his game against Bahrain where he scored 31 points, and shot 6-of-9 from threes. Oftana’s performance was a welcome boost since he replaced Justin Brownlee as the 12th man of Gilas Pilipinas due to multiple injuries.
Outside shots need to fall
Despite the dominance of JaKarr Sampson and Elijah Thomas inside the paint, Gilas Pilipinas actually outrebounded Bahrain, 51-35, including a 21-7 advantage on the offensive glass.
A glaring statline, however, is the three-point shooting where Gilas made 10-of-34 from threes on 29 percent. Bahrain shot a lot better with a 12-of-28 clip or 43 percent. Among the players that struggled from the outside where Sedrick Barefield (0-of-5) and Zavier Lucero (0-of-2).
Gilas Pilipinas may be the more superior team against Kazakhstan, but they need their shots to fall heading into the much-important game against China on Monday.
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