EVEN before the 19th FIBA World Cup got going, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes knew winning it all would be impossible. Reaching the second round was also improbable.
After being foiled in their attempt to qualify for the second round of the world cage extravaganza, the nationals are now setting their sights on a more realistic goal – emerge as the best Asian team after the 17th to 32nd place classification phase and gain a slot to the Paris Olympics next year.
“Very proud of the effort of our players. What a way to fight coming off those two painful losses and still show up tonight and give it our all against a top-10 team in the world,” Reyes said after his charges fell to world No. 10 Italy 83-90 last Tuesday night in Group A action. “I couldn’t ask for more. We just came up short, but we will continue to fight. That’s all we can do.
“We’ve shown that we can compete and even lead against these tough teams. We’re not just able to put together an entire game,” he added.
With the loss, in front of a jilted pro-Pinoy crowd of 11,821, Gilas kissed its hopes of advancing to the top 16 after it wound up with a 0-3 mark, counting a 70-80 setback to Angola four nights back.
The Azzurri were simply too much for Gilas, according to Reyes.
“Again, that’s the reason why Italy is a top 10 team,” Reyes said. “They know what it takes in this type of game.”
The Philippine five was relegated to a new-form Group M where it will take on two squads that will be eliminated from Group B.
Serbia has clinched a berth in the second round and banners Group B with a 2-0 record. Puerto Rico and South Sudan are tied with 1-1 slates, while China is winless in two games.
The Serbians clashed with South Sudan, while China battled Puerto Rico at press time last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Depending on the results of last night’s tiffs, Gilas takes on either Puerto Rico, South Sudan, or China today and will end up its classification round campaign on Saturday, Sept. 2.
Although also out of the next phase, co-host Japan holds the lead in the race to the continent’s lone ticket to Paris after it finished with a 1-2 card in Group E.
All records in the group phase will be carried over to the classification round.
Naturalized star Jordan Clarkson carried the fight for the Filipino cages with a game-high 23 points, to go with seven rebounds and six assists, but failed to get the much-needed help from his teammates.
Wingman Dwight Ramos was the only other Gilas player in double digits with 14 markers, two boards, and three dimes.
“Every game, a different thing is happening. In the first game, JC (Clarkson) fouled out and that was a big factor. Maybe if he didn’t foul out it could have been a different story,” Reyes said.
“Last game we couldn’t make our shots, and now we faced a team that made all of their shots.”
Australia, the Dominican Republic, and Italy joined Canada, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Spain, and the United States in the next stage.
The Dominicans repulsed Angola 75-67 at the Big Dome in Group A, while the Boomers mauled the Japanese 109-89 and Germany dismantled Finland 101-75 in Group E in Okinawa.
Over at the Mall of Asia Arena, Egypt made short work of Mexico 100-72, while Lithuania dumped Montenegro 91-71 in Group D.
In Jakarta, France downed Lebanon 85-79 and Canada ripped Latvia 101-75 in Group H.
