Gilas-Pilipinas ready for OQT?

THE pair of defeats absorbed by Gilas-Pilipinas in its tune-up matches or friendliest versus Turkiye and Poland as part of the national's build-up in preparation for next months’ Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) has drew mixed analysis from the basketball communities, whether experts in the sport, commentators, bloggers, critics, fans and fanatics alike.

But their unanimously in one question in mind. Is Gilas ready for the OQT? As the nationals are vie for one of the four remaining spot leading in this year’s Paris Olympics. Facing two of Europe’s best of the best in Latvia, which ranked No. 6 by FIBA, and Georgia (23). The Latvian capital of Riga is hosting Group A and B phase.

Gilas’ 73-84 loss to Turkish national team July 27, before falling short in its’ late run against the San Antonio Spurs led Jeremy Sochan Polish squad escaped with an 82-80, July 29, have drawn mixed analysis and opinion from the experts.

Judging in the just concluded “friendliest” against the two other European’s best Turkiye (24) and Poland (15). Critics and sports analyst are split in their views, with a 60-40%. While bloggers, fans and fanatics majority voted in favour of Gilas, with 70% of chance of winning.

As previously Gilas head mentor Tim Cone said, “It’s not Impossible”, sounds very optimistic. It’s like one of the the lines I heard the 1976 war movie “ The Eagle has landed”. “It’s a tough task, but it can be done”.

Unlike Gilas’ former mentor Chot Reyes, who would always say “Part of the learning process,” every time Gilas would loss to a much superior opponent. But for Cone it’s not only a learning process, but a big boost for Gilas as the pair of defeats has enabled the American mentor made in the necessary adjustments to cope to the style and brand of play the opposition would throw at them

Let’s view the first match with Turkiye, in that match up, Cone knew the Turkish they use their height, heft and their shooting from beyond the arc, which proven to be a potent weapon for them. Cone being the master of adjustment, have game out a game plan that enabled Gilas stayed within the heels of Turkiye, even led the contest twice last at 25-24.

One the adjustment made by Cone designating the 6-foot-4 Dwight Ramos to carry out his game plan after the team loss legitimate point guard Scottie Thompson to injury (slip-disk) and with 6-3 C.J Perez and Chris Newsome alternating in the said position, while naturalised player Justine Brownlee and Junmar Fajardo had kept Gilas with striking distance, scoring 21 and 17 points, respectively.

A hail of three-points by Turkiye’s Tarik Biberovic, who had 23-points, and Can Korkmaz, turned in 12 markers, last three-minutes for an 8-0 gave a 76-65 lead and douse-off Gilas’ possible comeback.

In their last tune-up match, against the Polish squad, Cone said he expect that his will be a lot better and will come all out to salvage a win. Gilas, like it’s 1972 Munich Olympic predecessors, led the Polish in the first quarter, 23-16, with the 6-7 Brownlee and Ramos waxing hot from all angles, but Poland regrouped in next frame to size control at the half, 41-38.

Down at 14-points going into final 2:37 of play, Ramos, who had 16-points, started Gilas’ late surge with a three-pointer and a jumper to cut the gap at 77-82. But the rally fell short though Newsome hit a three-pointer with 1.5 seconds.

Gilas’ performances in the tune-up have drawn praises from the two coaches, Turkiye’s Alpharetta Vimaz, and Polish mentor Igor Milicic, both agreed that present Gilas team will continue together until the next Olympic qualifier, will be a force to reckon.