PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – As the team gears up for the medal round, Gilas Pilipinas is addressing how it is going to withstand the heat and humidity at the Morodok Elephant Hall 2.
Can Gilas Pilipinas beat heat?
Gilas Pilipinas goes for a spot in the finals against Indonesia on Monday at 5 p.m. (6 p.m. Philippine time).
Following three group stage games at the venue, head coach Chot Reyes hopes that the Nationals have already adjusted to the conditions heading into the important games.
The biggest factor will once again be the heat at the stadium, especially with the 5 p.m. tipoff. The Philippines lost to Cambodia last Thursday in the late afternoon game in front of a packed house.
“The heat in the 1 p.m. game is different from the 5 p.m. game especially if the stadium is full. Again, that was the problem that we had (against Cambodia). Hopefully, we have adjusted better for the semifinals,” said Reyes.
In the game against Cambodia, Justin Brownlee was ineffective as he suffered from cramps and dehydration in the loss.
Reyes said Gilas has been preparing Brownlee for the conditions over the course of the competition, which hopes to pay off in the medal rounds.
“Meron kaming ginagawa pero it’s better to keep it within ourselves. Pero kung kilala niyo si Brownlee, even sa Araneta, sa MOA, even in the best of aircon situations, grabe talaga siya pawisan. Can you imagine here?
“To start off, he sweats more than the regular. In this situation, mahirap talaga,” said Reyes.
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