Nationals close to peak form, says Douthit

TWO days before the much-awaited battles begin, top center Marcus Douthit feels that Gilas Pilipinas is nearing peak form in the 27th Fiba Asia Championship.

“We’re 95 percent ready,” said the 6-foot-10 naturalized center.  “We have two more days left to fine-tune and improve on the little things that we need.”

The 15-nation Asian championship, which kicks off on Thursday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, offers three continental slots to the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain.

Douthit, 33, also noted that  the national team should communicate effectively on the floor to avoid unnecessary lapses that could affect the outcome of the game.

“We have to talk more on the floor,” said Douthit.

“During our final tuneup against Kazakhstan, they got a fastbreak because we didn’t communicate properly on defense,” added the former Providence College slotman.

Bracketed in Group A, Gilas faces Saudi Arabia on opening night before tackling Jordan and Chinese Taipei on Friday and Saturday.

The Nationals take a rest on Sunday and plunge back into action in the second round on Monday where they are scheduled to meet Japan, Qatar and Hong Kong in succession.

“Talent-wise, we’re ready to answer the challenge,” said Douthit, who led Gilas to a fourth-place finish in the 2011 Asian championship held in Wuhan, China.  “But we have to be mentally prepared.”

Douthit and 6-foot-9 forward Japeth Aguilar are the only holdovers of that team, a mixture of collegiate recruits and Filipino-foreign discoveries.