ALTHOUGH assured of a slot in the 2023 FIBA World as co-host and grouped with what appears to be a lighter pool in the qualifiers, don’t expect Gilas Pilipinas to keep its feet off the pedal.
Coach Tab Baldwin said the nationals have their work cut out for them.
“Each team presents something different, and they come from different parts of the world,” Baldwin said last Tuesday night in the World Cup qualifiers draw’s livestream on One Sports at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland.
“I believe that our scouting needs to be on point and be ready to dance with whatever roster they will bring in, and build the best roster that we have,” he added.
Gilas was drawn in Group A with New Zealand, rival South Korea, and India, avoiding Group B teams Australia, which won the bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, and perennial Asian powerhouse China.
Baldwin’s sentiments were echoed by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas special assistant to the president Ryan Gregorio.
“It actually doesn’t change anything. We’re still gonna prepare as if there’s a slot that we’re fighting for,” Gregorio said.
“Coach Tab (Baldwin) would attest to this that we’re really going for the win because we want to develop that winning attitude. We don’t want to come in there knowing that we’re already in, and we’re gonna slack off a little bit.”
