By Waylon Galvez
Gilas Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao isn’t too excited on the possibility of playing defending champion Team USA as he prefers an opponent that the national team has a good chance of beating for them to advance in the next stage of this year’s FIBA World Cup in China.
While most Filipinos are dreaming of a match-up between the Filipinos and the Americans, and that includes telecommunications mogul Manny V. Pangilinan, Guiao isn’t one of them.
The fiery mentor from Pampanga prefers to be bracketed with other countries.
“Ewan ko kung gusto natin maka-bracket yun para makapagpa-picture lang tayo,” Guiao said in jest during a press briefing Thursday at the Lighthouse of Meralco in Ortigas, Quezon City.
“Ako ayoko kasi gusto ko meron tayong realistic chance na ma-tsambahan natin yung ka-grupo natin,” added Guiao.
The national team earned a second straight World Cup berth after it claimed the eighth and last spot for Asia following wins against Qatar and Kazakhstan during the sixth and final qualifying window last Sunday.
USA, which will have a star-studded roster of NBA All-Stars in the World Cup, has won the last four of the eight World Cup titles, including the previous two opposite Turkey in Istanbul in 2010 and Serbia in Spain in 2014.
A total of 32 teams have qualified in this year’s World Cup, and the top teams, including Team USA, has been seeded No. 1 behind China being the host, followed by No. 2 Spain, No. 3 France, No. 4 Serbia, No. 5 Argentina, No. 6 Lithuania and No. 8 Greece.
The draw for the FIBA World Cup is set March 16 in Shenzen Cultural Center in China.
Guiao said that if the result of the draw will have the Philippines and USA in one group, he said in jest that they have to get ready – that means get ready with their cameras, saying: “Pero kung nanjan na sila, wala tayong magagawa, magpa-picture na lang tayo.”
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio shares the same sentiment of Guiao.
