Gilas digs deep into Fiba war zone

Philippines’ coach Vincent Reyes gives instructions to his players during the 2014 FIBA World basketball championships group B match Croatia vs Philippines at the Palacio Municipal de Deportes in Sevilla on August 30, 2014. AFP PHOTO / CRISTINA QUICLER

Suddenly, it’s no longer right to ask how far the Gilas Pilipinas national basketball team could go in the Fiba World Cup now being fought in Spain.

The Philippine squad has now allowed itself to be wholly sucked into a global basketball war.

It was to take on Argentina, listed as the toughest assignment in the Philippine group, in what promises to be another unforgiving confrontation late Monday.

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Of course, there had been reason to wonder if the Filipino squad would be really ready for war—and man-size combat—during the team’s tune-up series, mainly after it allowed itself to be mangled by Ukraine, which dealt Gilas a 50-point mauling in Antibes, France.

The defensive stance of Gilas Pilipinas, particularly its two big boys, June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar, was so awful that coach Reyes was overheard reminding them they were not out on a sightseeing tour.

As a result, the big Pinoy duo, particularly Fajardo, next acquitted themselves in the national team’s first two games which they both lost, but only after pushing Croatia to the limit and banging it up against tall, rugged Greece all the way.

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In the hard-fought match against Greece on Sunday night (early Monday morning in Manila), naturalized player Andray Blatche surpassed himself as he courageously tried to carry his team despite competing with only one good leg.

Blatche would often be caught writhing on the sideline, trying to soothe his heavily bandaged knee.

After getting banged hard again late in the final quarter, coach Chot Reyes tried to relieve the NBA veteran. Blatche refused and insisted he would try one last big push.

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Of course, it cannot be said Blatche singly typified the enviable courage of the Philipine team.

There, for example, was Marc Pingris, only 6-foot-5, but who never failed to sacrifice his body to contain muscular taller foes. And what about Ranidel de Ocampo, Gabe Norwood?

Count in the fearless wingmen, like rookie Paul Lee, hotshot Jeff Chan and spitfire Jason Castro.

In the rugged wind-up against Greece, tiny LA Tenorio played it ala David against Greek Goliaths.

In fact, Tenorio was singled out by the Greek coach who complained after the final buzzer about the Filipinos playing a dangerous brand of basketball.

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Nobody could be more pleased, prouder than the national team’s main benefactor, the respected tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Pangilinan swore the valor displayed by the smaller Filipinos in pushing mighty Croatia into overtime will be the subject of legend.

Yet, there will be many more miles to go (before they sleep), Pangilinan quipped in quoting a famous American poet.

However, it cannot be denied that, this early, Gilas Pilipinas has gained the attention and respect of the whole basketball world with a display of the boundless Filipino fighting spirit in a global basketball war meant for the fearless and truly dedicated.