Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
ANDRAY Blatche doesn’t want to dwell on the past anymore.
“I’m not here to talk about last year. I’m here to talk about this year and what’s our focus on moving forward, what we need to do to win,” Blatche told reporters after practice with Gilas Pilipinas Sunday.
“This year, we’re facing teams which are better than the ones in Fiba-Asia,” the 6-foot-11 former Brooklyn Net in the NBA went on, referring to the teams he will try to lead the Filipinos in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament starting July 5 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Blatche arrived late Friday night and, as he had promised in earlier reports, looked fitter and a lot closer to fighting form compared to last year for the Fiba Asia in China.
The Filipinos will be playing in the OQT after finishing second to Iran in Changsha last year, and the National Five will be clashing with world class foes like France and New Zealand in the first round.
Gilas would need to win at least one of those first phase matches to make it to the crossover semifinals.
“The competition level is much higher and the stakes are a lot more,” Blatche continued. “This is us (Gilas) getting a second chance (at making the 2016 Rio Olympics).”
Coach Tab Baldwin was impressed at what he saw after two days of practice with Blatche and believes that the country’s naturalized player will be even better when the real battles come around.
“He looks good,” Baldwin said. “It’s a different Andray than last year. He’s in good shape, he’s not in peak condition yet, but we have five weeks to get him there.”
Blatche said that he is excited to see his teammates again as he plays a third tournament for the Philippines after the World Cup in Seville, Spain in 2014 and last year in Changsha.
And with June Mar Fajardo a shoo-in to make the team and give the Philippines a prime post-up option, Blatche noticed the difference in the play that Baldwin is trying to run this time.
“We have a new system of plays that I am trying to get accustomed to. I actually like it. It gives me a chance to give my teammates open shots,” Blatche said.
Baldwin not only likes that way Blatche looked and moved, but also his attitude.
“He really does love this group of guys,” Baldwin said. “Two years ago, we had a great player (in the World Cup), last year, we had someone who was out of shape but still gave everything he had.”
Despite being overweight that even the international press ganged up on him with every chance, Blatche still went on to become one of the best all-around performers in the Fiba Asia and took Hammed Haddadi to school in the Philippines’ victory over Iran in the preliminaries.