AFTER passing its initial test with flying colors last Wednesday, Gilas Pilipinas eyes another big victory when it battles Indonesia tonight as the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers resume behind closed doors at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center in Pampanga.
The Group A match is set at 6 p.m. after Japan collides with Chinese Taipei in the curtain-raiser at 2:30.
Seven-foot-3 center Kai Sotto, naturalized player Ange Kouame, Dwight Ramos, and SJ Belangel lead the 12-man line-up against Indonesia, along with skipper Isaac Go, Justine Baltazar, William Navarro, Carl Tamayo, and RJ Abarrientos.
Suiting up this time are Jordan Heading, LeBron Lopez, and Geo Chiu, replacing Javi Gomez de Liaño, Mike Nieto, and Jaydee Tungcab.
With former Smart Gilas tactician Rajko Toroman calling the shots, the Indonesians will rely on naturalized player and former PBA import Lester Prosper.
Gilas charged back from an early 17-point hole and hacked out a heart-stopping 81-78 victory over rival South Korea via a Belangel buzzer-beating triple to gain a slot in the Asia Cup in August in Indonesia.
Ramos led Gilas with 16 points and five rebounds, while Belangel chipped in 14 markers and five boards.
Sotto and Kouame had 14 and 11, respectively, as Gilas improved to 4-0.
Despite the odds, coach Tab Baldwin said his charges showed a lot of heart and grit.
“I don’t think there’s any question that these young guys are going to compete. There’s always gonna be a question whether our talent stand up against our opponent’s talent, can our lack of experience stand up to the experience of another team,” Baldwin said.
“But not their heart and not their desire to fight and I think once we adjusted to the physicality and we realized that’s all it was, there was no malice, and there was no animosity, we just had to respond with our own form of physicality and we made that adjustment,” he added.
Baldwin said Gilas’ big win should inspire the country as it continues to grapple with an unseen but vicious enemy.
“It’s exciting. It’s a shame that we didn’t have 20,000 people in MOA watching that. But what we did, we had the country behind us. We can feel that,” Baldwin said.
“We can feel how much the country wanted something positive. I think we were all extremely proud to be able to bring something surprising. But to be able to bring them something that is going to make Filipinos happy, it’s a great moment for Filipino basketball.”
The Filipino dribblers’ triumph against the Koreans will certainly be special, according to Baldwin.
“It’s going to be a great deal of excitement for these young men,” he said. “There’s no question about that. They will remember that for a long time.”
