“We will use the day off [on Monday] to get feedback on our last three games and look at Thailand’s game,” coach Chot Reyes said after getting six players in twin digits and trailing for the first time here at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The fact is that the Filipinos waltzed to their third straight win and now have an average winning margin of 69.66 points before they play Thailand on Tuesday in what could be the game where they encounter their toughest opposition yet.
But through it all, Reyes is happy at how his players are working hard, even with the thought that no team in this entry-level regional event could touch them with a 10-foot pole, talent wise.
“Right now, our dedication and discipline on [playing] defense is a lot better,” Reyes said after giving up just a combined 18 points to the Malaysians in the middle two quarters.
Andray Blatche and Troy Rosario scored 13 points apiece to pace the Filipinos, who got Jason Castro’s best offensive effort in the event—10 points all scored in the first half.
Malaysia became the first team to lead the Philippines after Kok Hou Tok scored two free throws in its first possession. But that fired up Castro and Blatche and helped Gilas scoot to a 21-5 lead after the first six minutes.
Castro, the best point guard in the last two Asian championships, hit 4-for-5 from the field in a 10-minute job, getting the warm up he deserves after scoring just six points in a 147-40 rout of Burma (Myanmar) on Friday and going scoreless against Singapore on Saturday.
With Indonesia nipping Thailand, 60-59, earlier, a victory by the Filipinos against the Thais on Tuesday coupled with an expected thumping of Vietnam on Wednesday would make the Filipinos’ clash with the Indonesians on Thursday the literal title game.