GILAS Pilipinas needs to win two games and hopefully winds up as the best Asian team in the FIBA World Cup set to start on Aug. 25.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Al Panlilio yesterday said these are the marching orders for the charges of National coach Chot Reyes, adding they are hoping it would be enough for the country to gain a slot in the Paris Olympics next year.
It’s all systems go for the Philippines’ co-hosting of the sport’s biggest event, according to Panlilio.
“This early, we see this hosting as a success and it’s rooted from the cooperation that the government sector has extended to the local organizing committee in making all of these possible,” he said. “We’ve left no stones unturned and it’s now the Philippines’ turn for the spotlight and we’re happy to welcome basketball home.
“We haven’t hosted a World Cup like this since 1978. That’s 45 years. It’s even been much longer since we were in the Olympics, the last time for basketball was in 1972. Naalala ko pa nga iyong poster ni (Robert) Jaworski or ni (Ramon) Fernandez ata iyon sa kuwarto ko, naka-blue uniform sila,” Panlilio said during a special edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Meralco Conference Hall in Ortigas.
“So, it’s been a while and I think the aspiration for us is that we want to be the best Asian ranking team, obviously. My gut feels, I think kaya natin. Kakayanin. Hopefully we can win at least two games.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t win anything in Beijing (2019 World Cup). So, we’re hoping we can win two games and if we can do that we go to the next round and potentially really play for a spot for the Olympics,” he added.
Panlilio, who was joined by SBP executive director Sonny Barrios, deputy event director Erika Dy, and joint management committee head John Lucas, said the Philippines is out to end the country’s 51-year dry spell in the Olympics.
“Gusto talaga namin to perform our very best. I told that to the team the other night when I was there, that the price is also a spot in the Olympics which again we’ve not been there since 1972,” Panlilio said in the in the public sports program backed by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Sports Commission, POC, Milo, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
“I think alam ng team na iyon ang gusto nating mangyari and if we can achieve that, that will be great for the country and for basketball.”
The Filipino cagers launch their drive in the blue-ribbon world cage spectacle against the Dominican Republic on Aug. 25 at the cavernous Philippine Arena before taking on Angola two days later at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Gilas ends its Group A campaign against Italy on Aug. 29 also at the Big Dome.
Panlilio said what gnaws now at Reyes and his staff is choosing the final 12-man line-up.
“I think the difficulty for the coaches now is deciding the final 12. I have to say thank you to everybody who sacrificed for Gilas although they were not guaranteed a spot,” Panlilio said. “Also, to Justin Brownlee, thank you very much for what he has done, just to contribute to this journey of Gilas.”
