‘Huwag matakot sa NBA players’ -guiao

MAGSISIMULA na ang kampanya ng Gilas Pilipinas sa 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup sa kanilang pakikipagtunggali sa Italy ngayong gabi sa Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center sa Foshan, China.

Maghaharap ang dala­wang koponan sa oras na 7:30 p.m. Nag-ensayong muli ang Gilas Pilipinas kahapon sa FISCC upang paghan­daan ang kanilang laro laban sa Italy na sinasabing ang pinaka-importanteng laro para sa koponan sa torneo.

“Our focus, resources, time, scouting, we focus it on the team where we have a greater percentage of winning. Kasi kahit matalo tayo sa Serbia, kung manalo tayo sa Italy, at tinalo natin ang Angola, okay tayo,” wika ni Guiao ilang araw bago tumulak papuntang China.

Maglalaro para sa Italy ang dalawang NBA player na si Danilo Gallinari ng Oklahoma City Thunder at Marco Belinelli ng San Antonio Spurs. Isa ring dapat abangan ng Gilas ay si Luigi Datome na naglaro para sa Fenerbahce sa Euroleague.

Hindi naglaro si Gallinari at Datome sa huling mga tune-up games ng Italy dahil sa injury ngunit inaasahan na magpapakita sila ng laban sa Gilas. “We like our chances better when Gallinari and Datome were not playing. Now we know they are playing. Lumalim ‘yung bench nila. They got deeper. They got deeper with quality players. Even if we are gaining some momentum in our execution, Italy still have more size, they still have more talent. We just hope that we perform close to our best,” saad ni Guiao.

Umaasa rin si Guiao na papasok ang mga tres ng Gilas Pilipinas upang mag­karoon ng pag-asa na manalo laban sa Italy. “It would have been very useful for us if Marcio Lassiter is available pero useless na mang­hina­yang. I’m confident na the guys will still be going to make those crucial outside shots. May tiwala ako na magko-connect tayo,” wika ni Guiao. Sa­mantala, inaasa­hang mano­nood sa laro si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na nasa China ngayon para sa isang state visit.

Nagpahayag naman ng pabati ang chairman ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) na si Sen. Sonny Angara sa kampanya ng Gilas Pilipinas sa FIBA Basketball World Cup.

“We join the entire nation in cheering for our Gilas Pilipinas as they kick off their quest to regain our nation’s glory in the world hoops stage today. With the present composition of our national team, including its stellar coaching staff, we have reason to be very optimistic about our chances in this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. The Philippines is no stranger to adversity and there is no question that no matter how harshly we are tested, the Filipino spirit remains unbroken. Mabuhay ang Gilas Pilipinas!”