Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
The Philippines is in a fit in the second round of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers after getting into a third-place tie with Japan at 5-4 in Group F.
It’s certainly a must-win situation for Gilas Pilipinas but head coach Yeng Guiao said the team is ready for the pressure that’s lingering over their heads.
“Of course, our next game is a must-win one and of course there’s pressure, but that’s what we signed up for,” said Guiao Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena before the team’s practice in preparation for its game against Iran on Monday. “We just have to embrace the pressure and accept the consequences.”
There will only be seven teams from Fiba’s Asian region that will qualify for the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup in China and the Philippines still has a chance to get one of those slots.
The tricky part, however, is that only the top three teams from Groups E and F and the better of the two fourth placers will advance and Gilas is tethering between that third and fourth spot in Group F.
Gilas has to at least lock up the third seed in order to avoid any complications as they go further in the tournament and a win against Iran could bump the Philippines in a second place tie with the Iranians at 6-4 while also getting a half game of separation from Japan.
And one factor Guiao is looking at in getting the better of Team Melli on Monday is having a big but skilled frontcourt.
Guiao emphasized that Gilas not only has to be big but also has to be “quick and strong.”
“There’s a common belief that if we just become bigger then we’re supposed to be better but it doesn’t necessarily follow,” said Guiao. “There are a lot of big guys in the international game but if you’re just going to be big for the sake of being big that’s not going to be enough.”
Iran has four players who stand at least 6-foot-9 in center Mohammad Torabi who stands at that height, Meisam Mirzaeitalarposhti and Keyvan Riaei who are both at 6’10” and all those are listed as centers.
And there’s power forward Rouzbeh Arghavan who stands at 7’0” making him the tallest Iranian in the competiion since Team Melli, as of writing time, doesn’t have the 7’2” Hammed Haddadi in the lineup.
The Philippines’ best player is four-time MVP June Mar Fajardo who stands at 6’10” and he will have a reliable stretch four with him in San Miguel teammate Christian Standhardinger who’s at 6’8” and will be Gilas’ naturalized player on Monday.
“You have to be big, quick, and strong, and I think that’s what we need to factor in this game against Iran,” said Guiao. “You can’t just be big and expect to be stronger. You have to be big, you have to be skilled, you have to be quick, and those are the kinds of big men we have to contend with.”