Gilas Pilipinas Team. Photo by Noy Morcoso lll/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — While everybody is thrilled at the prospect of seeing the men’s national basketball team in the world championship, the real target for Gilas Pilipinas is to bring home the gold medal in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios said nothing would please SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan more than seeing the Filipinos reclaim the Asiad basketball gold.
“When was the last time we won the championship in the Asian Games? Fifty years ago? It’s been a long time,” said Barrios.
According to Barrios, the Fiba World Cup in Spain from Aug. 30 to Sept. 14 will be the climax of the Nationals’ training program for the Incheon Games, set Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.
“The World Cup is a first-class training ground for the Incheon Games,” he said.
“Mr. Pangilinan wants the team to get into the second round in the World Cup, then win the championship in Incheon. That’s how tough the goals are.”
The Philippines last won the Asian Games cage title in 1962 in Jakarta and placed second to China in 1990 in Beijing when the PBA began to support the national team.