Chot Reyes rues ‘nice game’ that got away again

GABE Norwood soars for the second of his two highlight dunks. AFP

SEVILLE, Spain—Chot Reyes had his head bowed for so long, waiting for the rest of the international media to come for the mandatory coaches’ interview late Monday night (Tuesday in Manila).

“Nakakasawa na ang (I’m tired of hearing) nice game, nice game,” Reyes told the Inquirer after another big fish that got away from Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba World Cup at Centro Deportivo San Pablo here.

Reyes did not even bother raising his head, staying in that position for quite a while after the hard-fighting Filipinos muffed several golden chances in the endgame against World No. 3 Argentina for a sorry 85-81 loss in front of a noisy, feet-stomping and war-paint-wearing throng.

None of those chances was bigger than inside the final 24 seconds, when the Filipinos were down by just two and failed to find Jimmy Alapag, the 5-foot-8 sentinel who was responsible for giving the Filipinos a chance to win after being 15 down in the third period.

He struggled for words when the reporters finally came, and opened up by taking the blame for the loss.

“As a coach, it is my responsibility to get good shots for my players,” Reyes said. “My only regret in losing this game is that my boys tried very hard and I wasn’t able to give them a win. “I wasn’t able to give our country a win.”

Reyes said that he really called for a three-point shot during his last timeout, telling his wards that they wouldn’t survive overtime because Ranidel de Ocampo was already cramping up and Andray Blatche had four fouls.

Argentine coach Julio Lamas had a defensive ace up his sleeve, throwing in Facundo Campazzo to shadow Alapag, which left the ball in the hands of Jason Castro for the ill-fated miscue.

“Na-deny siya (He was denied),” Reyes said of Alapag failing to get a touch in the last possession.

“It’s also probably my fault that Jason tried to pull up (for a three-pointer) because my instruction was for Jimmy to shoot a three-pointer,” Reyes said. “I should be a better coach.”

The scores:

ARGENTINA 85—Scola 19, Mata 17, Herrmann 10, Laprovittola 10, Campazzo 9, Nocioni 9, Prigioni 8, Gutierrez 3, Gallizi 0, Bortolin 0, Safar 0

GILAS PILIPINAS 81—De Ocampo 18, Alapag 15, Norwood 14, Castro 11, Blatche 6, Fajardo 6, Tenorio 3, Aguilar 2, Chan 0, Pingris 0

Quarters: 22-25, 38-43, 71-61, 85-81