Gilas Pilipinas team ahead of the Fiba World Cup in Manila. –FIBA BASKETBALL
MANILA, Philippines — It may seem ironic that Gilas Pilipinas can finally field a tall team in its historic hosting of the Fiba World Cup 2023, at a time when the game has already shifted to small ball—utilizing smaller, agile, and outside scorers.
Ten years ago, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes relied on agility and outside shooting anchored on his guards Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, and LA Tenorio to end the country’s 36-year absence in the world stage in the Fiba Asia Championship at Mall of Asia Arena.
He added Paul Lee and tapped versatile center Andray Blatche in their 2014 World Cup debut in Seville, Spain, where they won a game over Senegal.
Back then, the Philippines was forced to go small to make up for its lack of size.
Fast forward to the present day, Reyes, in his second World Cup stint, fields the tallest Gilas lineup bannered by the 6-foot-9 captain Japeth Aguilar and fellow third-time World Cup campaigner June Mar Fajardo, who stands 6-foot-10, as well as young guns Kai Sotto (7’3″) and AJ Edu (6’10”) to play alongside NBA star Jordan Clarkson.
“[It’s] pretty ironic that when we have the size, the game has gone the opposite way. During the times when it was all about size, we were the first team in the World to play small ball. We were playing small ball in 2013 and 2014 even before,” said Reyes during the introductory press conference on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We were playing three point guards in the worlds remember when we played and everyone was bashing us for playing Jimmy, Jayson, and Paul Lee together or LA. And now everyone is doing that. I find that really ironic now that we have the size, the game has gone the opposite way.”
Gilas Pilipinas’ young towering towers AJ Edu and Kai Sotto. –FIBA BASKETBALL
But even with the game going small, Reyes said this kind of frontline is vital to buffer a World Cup roster that also includes Dwight Ramos, Jamie Malonzo, Scottie Thompson, Kiefer Ravena, Rhenz Abando, CJ Perez, and Roger Pogoy, especially when they battle the Karl-Anthony Towns-led Dominican Republic on Friday at Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
“Size is important for having Japeth, June Mar, Kai, and AJ. Skills as well as the other aspects of the game, versatility like Japeth said. And even if the game has gone the opposite way, I think having an inside presence is still very very important because every team we’ll face is going to have a strong and tough inside guy. So that’s how important and nobody tougher than the first game, the big guy that we’re playing in the first game. That’s going to be the role and value of our frontline,” the Gilas coach said.
Reyes stressed that it will take a team effort to stop three-time NBA All-Star Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who will play for his country for the first time after a decade.
“I don’t think it’s physically possible for any single person on our team and perhaps even in the entire World Cup to stop Karl-Anthony Towns one-on-one. So it’s going to take a village to beat them, to stop him, and Dominican because that’s not a one-man team that we’re playing tomorrow. The initial job is going to fall on the frontline. That’s how important they’re going to be,” he added.
‘Completely different’
Blatche was the main man when Gilas Pilipinas put up a gallant stand in the 2014 World Cup, losing to Argentina, Greece, and Croatia before pulling off a historic win over Senegal.
As the dynamics of the game have changed from his first World Cup stint nine years ago, the Gilas coach expects Clarkson to deliver “completely different” for the country, which will defend its home court in Group A against Dominican Republic, Angola, and Italy.
“It was a different kind of difficulty as it is from this year. In 2014, we had a 7-footer in Andray. Now we have a very different weapon in Jordan. I think that’s very reflective of how the game has evolved over the years. Andray gave us something very different, Jordan is going to give us completely different,” Reyes said.
“But I always like to say the strength of the pack is the wolf. In the same manner, the strength of the wolf is the pack. It’s not going to be only about Jordan. It was not about Andray before. Very different dynamics in the competition, very different teams that we’re playing. It’s as if we’re not thinking of 2014 at all, this is something completely different that we’re facing today.”
It’s a different basketball era in Reyes’ second World Cup appearance but his ‘puso (heart)’ mantra lives on for the new-look Gilas when it seeks a better finish in front of its countrymen with a hope to book an outright Olympic berth if it emerges as the best Asian teams.
“I think puso is still very much present. It’s still the anchor of everything we’re doing. We always say we fight until we cannot fight anymore for our country with all our hearts. That is what Laban Pilipinas, Puso is all about. That is still what this team is anchored on. The values remain the same, but the tactics might differ. That’s where the difference is because obviously different players, different techniques and strategies, different skill sets,” Reyes said.
“I guess in makeup, in style, in size, lot of difference but the values and the passion, I hope, and the things we hold dear, we hope remains the same.”