Smart Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes
MANILA, Philippines—Tune-up matches are good, but it’s far from the real competition.
That is national team head coach Chot Reyes’ biggest concern after Smart Gilas Pilipinas was “uninvited” by Taiwan in this year’s Williams Jones Cup.
Smart Gilas’ lost chance for a retention bid was a collateral damage in the Philippines-Taiwan row over the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine Coast Guard personnel.
“The real problem with not playing in the Jones Cup is the absence of tournament conditions,” said Reyes on his Twitter account (@coachot).
Exhibition games against stronger and taller squads can give Smart Gilas a good workout, but it cannot mimic the intensity in a competition.
“We can get quality tune-ups easy, but the cadence and urgency of tourney play can’t be replicated,” added Reyes.
The Nationals, meanwhile, are flying to Lithuania for a rigorous training camp, as part of their build-up for the Fiba Asia Championships this August, which the Philippines will also host.
But Reyes is deeply concerned that sans the Jones Cup, Smart Gilas will be left with the Fiba Asia, which dangles slots to the World Championships, as its lone test.
“[It’s] scary to think FIBA Asia will be the first tourney of Gilas,” Reyes finished.