FOSHAN, China — It’s put up or shut up for Gilas Pilipinas as it finally gets to face Italy in their match that could decide the outcome of the top two race in Group D of the FIBA World Cup here.
Gilas will get to know if the three-month preparation which some say wasn’t enough will result in a massive win over the Italians in the crucial tiff set Saturday at 7:30 p.m. local time (same time in Manila).
It will be the first competitive faceoff of the two countries since Manila hosted the 1978 World Championship. The Philippines fell 112-75 to the Italians at the Araneta Coliseum.
The same outcome is something coach Yeng Guiao believes won’t happen this time, knowing that Gilas is hell bent on trying to secure a win to enhance its chances of making the second round.
Pressure continues to mount for the national cagers as they wait for tipoff to commence, knowing that a group of Filipinos who probably spent a fortune went their way to support the team.
Adding more weight is the expected presence of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is due to arrive hours before tipoff from Beijing after holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Duterte had earlier downplayed Gilas’ chances of being the taller Italians but Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan said the chief executive has the full support of the team.
“The fact that he’s going down to Foshan from Beijing shows his tangible support for the team so we’re grateful for that,” said Pangilinan.
Much has been said about Gilas’ chances of winning through outside shooting. Paul Lee, Kiefer Ravena, Robert Bolick, Roger Pogoy and naturalized player Andray Blatche are expected to make up for the losses of injured snipers Marcio Lassiter and Matthew Wright.
Blatche, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Troy Rosario and Raymond Almazan are hoping to hold their own inside against the Italian side which has Luigi Datome and naturalized player Jeff Brooks.
Much has been said about the crucial roles of NBA players Danilo Gallinari and Marco Belinelli, who could impose problems for Gilas with their scoring abilities. (Jonas Terrado)