GILAS Pilipinas should be accorded nothing less than accolades for its silver-medal finish in the recent International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Asia Men’s Championship.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Renauld “Sonny” Barrios said that despite falling short of a victory to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the effort and sheer guts of the 12-man Gilas should be worth praising.
“Kaya pupurihin mo talaga ‘yung 12 na ito from the very start,” Barrios told the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tueday at Shakey’s Malate, noting how China went on a seven-month European training to prepare for the Fiba-Asia meet.
“You should prepare them [team] for enough time. Tayo less than two months. ’Yung China? Seven months lang naman,” Barrios said in the forum, presented by San Miguel Corp., Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Gilas lost to China, 67-78, on Saturday in the gold-medal match in Hunan that was criticized for glaring non-calls by the referees that favored the eventual champions.
“We should really honor the team. Personally, I saw how the coaches, the players and everyone else really worked hard for the tournament. I saw the sincerity in their hearts and in their minds to play for flag and country,” said Barrios, who arrived with the Gilas delegation to a hero’s welcome on Monday morning.
“In our shocking loss to Palestine, I told Coach Tab [Baldwin] if I can address the team. The whole team is very disappointed at themselves and they felt the disappointment of the whole country,” Barrios recalled.
Barrios gave full credit to Baldwin, who prepared the team to championship form in only seven weeks.
“I have to commend Coach Tab. Kakaiba ’yung know-how niya sa international game. He his composed and he knows what to do,” Barrios said.
“Coach Tab explained to me he has a lot of plays because everything depends on which opponent Gilas is playing. Kung Iran, he has a different set of plays na para sa Iran lang, the same with China, and the others,” he added.
Barrios, however, withheld any official statement from the SBP on whether or not Gilas will compete in next year’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the last chance for the second to fourth placers in the continental qualifiers to earn tickets to Rio.
“Pang present lang muna ako. For now, let us honor the team. Huwag muna natin kalimutan agad ‘yung nagawa nila para sa bansa. Kasi kung pag-uusapan na natin ’yung future nila, maba-balewala na ’yung finish nila sa China,” he said.
Image credits: Roy Domingo