Gilas Pilipinas, SEAG’s champ

SO, there you have it folks, ladies and gents. Gilas Pilipinas, remained as South East Asian Games’ champion following a long and difficult journey marred by organisational controversies.

But nonetheless, it was the sweetest one for Coach Norman Black and the rest of Gilas players, who were almost hastily assembled due to flip-flopping eligibility rule by the host Thai Organising Committee.

The finals match, for the Gold medal, wherein Gilas Pilipinas, outlasted the arrogant and trash talking Thais, 70-64, as the nationals even came back from 13-point deficit at the end of the first quarter, 18-31.

For coach Norman and his chargers, led by Converge Fiberxer Robert Bolick and Japan B-Leaguer Ray Bobby” Parks, winning the country’s 20th SEA Games gold medal wasn’t easy. As the Thais shown great improvement in their game, trading every baskets Gilas could mustered.

Though the Thais have the skills and talent, led by their loud-mouth talking slotman six-foot eight Chinatap Jakrawan and Thai-Americans Freddie Lish (6-5), Moises Morgan (6-4) and Thai-French Emmanuel Jessu (6-6),they failed to match Gilas’ big fighting heart and the experience, when it mattered most.

It seems skills and talent of the home team wasn’t enough. Three referees, designated by FIBA to officiate the said finals allegedly helped the Thais to close the gap after the nationals posted 12-point advantage, 60-48, with five-minutes to play in the fourth period.

The referees clamped down on Gilas’ legitimate defensive play all throughout the entire match with unprecedented 37 foul sending the Thais to the line, though converting 26 points, enough to trim Gilas lead, 68-64, going to

the last 68 seconds.

Thais’ lacking experience in a pressured game, had the chance to cut the deficit to two, but Lish bungled his two free throws, with seven seconds left before a desperate foul given up on Bolick, who sunk Gilas’ final tally, less than five seconds.(cooking'ina muntik na!- ed)

The alleged shady and spotty officiating by the three refrees, got the ire of Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua who filed a complaint before the FIBA supervising officials and urged the said officer to lodge an investigation on the three referees..

It was a big relief for coach Norman, when he hear the final buzzer, earning his second SEA Games basketball, when lead another national team win the gold medal during the 2017 edition held in Malaysia.

Many has regarded these bunch of Gilas players as team C after two other teams where dissolved due to the Thai Organizers sinisters plot to win by all cost even resorting almost to cheating.

This corner viewed the recent 33rd SEA Games, which concluded last weekend, was indeed one of the most unforgettable experience. Why?. It also proved that Karma is real.

By the way, I like to take this opportunity to personally greet our Gilas News Editor-in-Chief and the tireless Danny “Don” Simon, rest of the Gilas News staff, my family and most specially our dear readers a HAPPY Christmas and wishing everybody a prosperous New Year.(same here don robert dinero prosperondez oldabest!-ed)