Ano ang tsansa ng Gilas Pilipinas sa paparating na FIBA World Cup?
Kung si head coach Chot Reyes ang tatanungin, hindi na ito importante dahil mayroon pang mas dapat pagtuunan ng pansin maliban dito.
“I’ve learned in those nine years, especially in those competitions, not to think about and not to worry about chances because it doesn’t matter who you’re playing,” ang sabi ni Reyes. “The chances are going to be difficult. The competition is so tough that if you spend time thinking about your chances, it’s really not very useful.”
“We would rather focus on other more productive things. For us, we’re just focusing on the things that are in front of us. We’re focusing on the things that we can control. If we do that, it improves our chances.”
Sisimulan ng Gilas ang kanilang kampanya ngayong araw (Biyernes) kung saan sasagupa sila sa isa sa malalakas na teams sa kanilang grupo – ang Dominican Republic na pangungunahan ng National Basketball Association star player na si Karl-Anthony Towns, isang seven-fot center na naglalaro sa MInnesota Timberwolves.
Ayon kay Reyes, walang sinuman sa kanilang koponan, o maaring sa buong torneo ng World Cup, na kayang pumigil mag-isa katapat ni Towns.
“I don’t think it’s physically possible for any single person on our team, and perhaps even in the entire World Cup to stop Karl-Anthony Towns one-on-one. It ‘s going to take a village to stop him and the Dominican Republic,” dagdag pa ni Reyes.
Agrabyado man sa laban, hindi na rin ito iniinda ni Reyes na humahanap na lang ng paraan kung paano nilang malulusutan ang matinding hamon sa pinakamalaking torneo sa larangan ng basketball sa buong mundo.
“What are our chances in terms of percentage or any kind of metric for that? It’s hard to say. Just by the very nature of the competition in the World Cup, we already know how difficult it is. But yes, we like our chances because we are here. It means 50%, which is showing up. We’re all here and putting ourselves in a 50% position and we’ll see,” dagdag pa ni Reyes.
Ipaparada ng Gilas ang pinakamalaking koponan sa kasaysayan ng World Cup kung saan kasama rito sina 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto, dalawang 6-foot-10 players na sina June Mar Fajardo at AJ Edu at ang athletic 6-foot-9 forward na si Japeth Aguilar.
Pero walang garantiya kung hanggang saan sila kayang dalhin nito, bagamat malaking tulong sa koponan na mayroong mga players na posibleng maka-match up sa mas malalaki nilang mga karibal.
“Sure, size is important for us having Japeth, June Mar, Kai and AJ, but skill as well in the other aspects of the game and versatility. Even if the game has gone the opposite way, I think having an inside presence is very, very important because every team we will face is going to have a strong, inside players,” sabi ni Reyes.
“Nobody is tougher than the first game with the big guy that we’re playing in the first game. That’s why we need the value of our frontline. I don’t think it’s physically possible for any single person on our team, and perhaps even in the entire World Cup to stop Karl-Anthony Towns one-on-one. It ‘s going to take a village to stop him and the Dominican Republic.”
