GATHERING STEAM
After Gilas Pilipinas’ 87-46 demolition of Guam in the 2027 Fiba (international basketball federation) Basketball World Cup Asia qualifiers on the road at Calvo Fieldhouse on Friday, the Filipinos prepared to fly back to the country for the second game of their home-and-away series at Blue Eagle Gym.
Despite the 41-point blowout carved from a strong defensive showing, national coach Tim Cone continues to preach caution.
“We have to follow this up,” Cone said after the match. “When we look at ourselves, we don’t have that opportunity to relax. If we do, they’ll come out motivated.”
Stuck in a 17-all stalemate at the end of the opening period, the Philippines zoomed to a 40-29 lead heading into the second half. There, Gilas Pilipinas was even more unforgiving.
Hitting their shots and displaying tenacious defensive intensity, the Filipinos stormed to a 64-36 lead at the end of the third period.
The ferocity of Gilas Pilipinas, Cone said, boiled down to one thing.
“We have tremendous respect for this Guam team,” the Barangay Ginebra coach in the PBA said.
But it could be more than that.
Oceania heavyweights
Gilas Pilipinas needs to build a lot of momentum from this Guam series after being slotted in a difficult group in the Asia qualifiers.
The Philippines is in Group A along with Oceania zone heavyweights Australia and New Zealand. The two countries are the consensus picks to finish at the top of the qualifiers, which offers seven seats to the 2027 Fiba World Cup. Qatar, as hosts, has been awarded the eighth berth.
And while another win over Guam assures the Philippines of a slot in the second round, Group A will be merged with another tough bracket that features Iran and Jordan.
That means after Guam, the difficulty level will be cranked way up high for Gilas Pilipinas.
And it will need the kind of performance it got from its key players to get to the World Cup.
The returning Justin Brownlee bucked the aftereffects of pneumonia and finished with 22 points to lead the Philippines, with national team mainstay Dwight Ramos adding 10. AJ Edu added eight points and eight rebounds.
Jericho Cruz carried the offensive load for Guam with 17 points, but he fumbled the ball six times against the relentlessness of Gilas Pilipinas’ defense. Tai Wesley added 12 points and five boards for Guam.
The two teams duel anew on Monday.
“We don’t play at home often, but when we do, everybody’s excited to watch us,” Cone said.
