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    Why current Gilas is better than Hanoi SEA Games team, according to Chot

    Gilas coach compares 2022 and 2023 SEA Games teams
    May 6, 2023
    gilas pilipinas practice for sea games meralco gym
    PHOTO: Karlo Sacamos

    DESPITE facing an even stronger opposition in this year’s Southeast Asian Games, Philippine men’s basketball coach Chot Reyes still likes the chances of Gilas to regain the gold medal in Cambodia.

    Chot compares 2022 and 2023 Gilas teams

    Reyes believes he has a better team right now compared to the one that settled for the silver in the Hanoi edition of the biennial meet last year that saw Indonesia bagged the gold.

    And the recent training camp the Filipinos had at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna further solidified the team’s chemistry and cohesion.

    “We were able to get a lot of things done. Not only in terms of what we wanted to do offensively, in terms of basketball skills, but we also got a lot of team work,” said Reyes after conducting the final team scrimmage on Saturday at the Meralco gym prior to their departure in Phom Penh.

    Only Jeremiah Gray skipped the last day of training in Manila as the entire 14-man pool was present, namely, naturalized player Justin Brownlee, Christian Standhardinger, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Michael and Ben Philips, Mason Amos, Aaron Black, Jerome Lastimosa, Chris Newsome, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, and Arvin Tolentino.

    Joining Reyes on the sideline were coaches Tim Cone and Jong Uichico.

    While inside the training camp, Gilas played the Magnolia Hotshots and the Ateneo Blue Eagles, which the team both won.

    “We used a lot of different combinations, we did a lot of experimenting because we wanted to take a look at different players playing with different guys,” said Reyes.

    “We’re really thankful to them because Ateneo plays physical pressure defense and same thing with Magnolia, kilala naman natin yung Magnolia,” he added. “So they really gave us a really great test run for us to even found out more about ourselves.”

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    Such positive vibe is truly needed by the team especially with the kind of competition in the SEA Games this year even a lot challenging as compared to the past, the Hanoi edition included.

    “We all know the lineups already of the other teams, right? The field is so much stronger than last year,” admitted Reyes.

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      “While we do like our chances, and I think we have a better team now – not individual players but a better team – so is the opposition. Our competitions has significantly improved as well. So it remains to be seen how the other teams play.”

      The men’s basketball team will leave for Phnom Penh at 10 p.m. Saturday.

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      PHOTO: Karlo Sacamos
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