Gilas Pilipinas in the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers. FIBA ASIA CUP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin didn’t take too kindly to South Korea head coach Cho Sang Hyun’s description of SJ Belangel’s three-pointer in their teams’ first meeting in the third window of the qualifiers.
Belangel’s buzzer-beating three gave the Filipinos a stunning 81-78 win over their long time tormentors in the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers on Wednesday, their first victory over the Koreans in eight years.
Cho said Belangel’s winner was “a lucky shot” to which Baldwin had something to say.
“We’ve already read that the Korean coach felt that we were lucky to win the game,” said Baldwin after the Filipinos’ win over Indonesia.
“Frankly, I think that’s pretty rich of any coach to walk off a game in which you lose and to claim that it was good luck on the part of your opponent.”
‘NOT A FLUKE’
Ramos, who has been the Filipinos’ best player so far in the tournament, shared the same sentiments as his coach.
The 6-foot-4 point guard said they’re out to prove to South Korea that their win wasn’t a one-time thing and that they can do it all over again.
“That game’s definitely going to be a battle. I know they’re gonna come out strong and we’re gonna try and show that our win wasn’t a fluke,” said Ramos who’s averaging 12.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.0 steals across five games.
“We just have to prove to them and come out strong that we’re not someone to be taken lightly. We’re young but we got that heart. That’s why we have to show them and play our hardest,” added Ramos.
Baldwin said that Cho’s words will just serve as extra motivation for them as they head into their rematch and their final game of the bubble.
“We would make sure that that is highlighted and I’m sure that will give our players a little bit of an extra incentive. I don’t expect that we will be going out there to make friends on Sunday,” said Baldwin.
