No thanks to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Filipinos again relished their stature as a revered power in the dash-and-dribble sport in the Asian Games.
From a record low seventh in the 2014 Asiad in South Korea, the National quintet hastily assembled by coach Yeng Guiao and reinforced at the last minute by Jordan Clarkson of the Cleveland Cavaliers finished fifth this time by whipping Japan (113-80) and Syria (109-55) after earlier giving China and defending champion South Korea a big scare before bowing out.
With Clarkson still unavailable, the nationals got going with a 96-59 rout of Kazhakstan.
The Chinese, who were lucky to escape with an 82-80 decision when Paul Lee missed his three-point shot with six seconds left in their Group D clash for top spot in the eliminations, went on to regain the title with an 84-72 decision of Iran on Friday. The Koreans, who trailed the Filipinos by eight points twice in the last quarter before prevailing, 91-82, in their quarterfinal duel, settled for the bronze medal by downing Chinese Taipei, 89-81.
A win over China would have sent the Filipinos against Indonesia, not Korea, in the quarterfinals and an expected semifinal meeting with Chinese Taipei, which had already lost twice to the nationals along with the Japanese in the first window of the Fiba World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers.
After beating the Philippines, Korea went down to Iran and China blasted Chinese Taipei in the semifinals.
Lost in the euphoria of the Filipinos’ best finish since losing to Kazakhstan in the bronze medal fight in the 2002 Busan Asiad was the fact that the SBP had earlier decided to withdraw from this year’s Games following the brawl that marred the Gilas Pilipinas-Australia match in their second meeting in the Fiba Asia qualifiers.
Before the melee, SBP was so engrossed with the Fiba campaign that little has been known who are going to the Asiad.
It was only the public outcry and reportedly the intervention of a top government official that forced SBP to change its mind. Guiao then assembled a squad with his former Rain or Shine standouts as nucleus and the team found a gem of a reinforcement when the NBA allowed Clarkson, whose mother is from Angeles City, to join the national team.
Guiao, who said the nationals could have achieved more with ample time to prepare for the Asiad, will be on another scrambling mission as PH coach in place of the suspended Chot Reyes in the coming fourth window of the Fiba Asia qualifiers. After failing to meet Iran in the Asiad, the nationals will visit the Iranians in Tehran on Sept. 13 before playing host to Qatar in a closed-door game in Manila on Sept. 17.
The new PH lineup will come from a list of 14 players from the PBA, including eight holdovers from the Asiad roster.