Test of character, heart in Jones Cup

TAIPEI—A middle-aged Filipino, so proud of what he learned the night before, approached Smart Gilas-Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes at the Taiwan International airport on Monday and told him in the native tongue: “Congratulations, you’re really a great coach.”

Reyes replied: “I have great players, boss.”

The Nationals proved they were indeed great players by clinching a fourth Jones Cup crown for the country by nipping the favored US squad, 76-75, Sunday. They finished with seven wins against a lone setback in ruling one of the most popular cage events in the region.

The firebrand mentor actually thinks that it was the weakest national team he has ever handled. But this bunch had two great things going for them, things that no coach—no matter how great—can teach them.

“They played together and they played with a lot of heart,” Reyes explained moments before boarding a flight for home where a huge welcome awaited the newly crowned champions, who got together only a month before they left for Taipei.

“What we have here is a group that genuinely likes to be here (in the team) and genuinely likes playing with one another,” Reyes, the first Filipino coach to win a Jones Cup for the Philippines, added.

“You can put up a team with so much talent, and yet, not everyone likes being there (with the team),” he continued.

The Philippines beat the heavyweight countries in the region, save for Lebanon, and topped its overachieving run with two scrambling wins in their last two games.

It was a championship that was totally unexpected. Reyes said the tournament was but a learning experience for the players, who were tapped to launch a program that will hopefully give them a shot at the world championship next year in Spain. The Nationals plunge back to work after a week to prepare for the Stankovic Cup, now known as the Asia Cup, in Tokyo in the middle of next month.