REGARDED LIGHTLY, WINNING HEAVILY
BANGKOK—Robert Bolick didn’t mince words shortly after Gilas Pilipinas won the men’s basketball gold in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Friday here, just right after the Filipinos carved out a 70-64 win over Thailand amid a very hostile atmosphere at Nimibutr Stadium.
He also hardly cared about giving the parting shot on the host country as Gilas made sure it would celebrate a triumph borne out of a lot of adversities.
“‘Kala nila kung kami lang, madali. (They (Thais) might have thought that they would have an easy time against us),” Bolick said after spearheading what can be considered a ragtag PH crew to the gold.
Bolick took a dig at the Thais by doing Stephen Curry’s famous “night, night” gesture, even doing it without making an effort to defend the game’s final play with the outcome already decided.
The victory felt so sweet for the Gilas team that went through one lineup change after another before Thailand ruled with finality that only locals classified under Fiba rules can play, ruling out the likes of familiar names in the process.
“We would have wanted to see Remy Martin, Mike Phillips, Justin Brownlee, but it didn’t happen because of the circumstances,” Bolick said.
That served as an early fuel in the fire for Gilas, which at the last minute added Bolick and four others from the PBA, plus several others who are either free agents or have just completed playing in the UAAP.
The Filipinos had to endure one comeback win after another—from usual lightweights Malaysia to Vietnam—and in the semifinals against Indonesia where Gilas had to go through a veritable escape act in the final seconds.
Thrilling final act
Coach Norman Black’s team’s final act was undoubtedly the hardest, as Thailand looked like it was in control with multiple 13-point leads in the second quarter, with Bolick spending considerable time on the bench after getting hit in the face while going for a layup.
But like a poked bear, Bolick would show why he embraced being a shotmaker and creator in the PBA, knocking some shots that made it manageable for the Filipinos at the break.
Then, like flipping the switch, Gilas got its defensive intensity up and its outside shooting suddenly got going, as the game eventually turned upside down in favor of the Philippines.
Jamie Malonzo received “MVP!” chants from the FIlipino fans who luckily got to enter the arena, eventually finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. His splendid play on both ends during the tailend of the tournament should serve as a confidence-booster for the former Barangay Ginebra player, who a few months ago, was let go by his Japan B.League club.
Gilas would lead 67-55, but had to endure one final stand from Thailand.
One foul from Cedrick Manzano sent Freddie Lish to the line for two shots with a chance to put Thailand within two. But Lish missed both, prompting Bolick to do the gesture.
Bolick has no regrets doing it. What’s important is that the gold that matters most back home is still in Philippine hands.
