Corey Webster (with ball) has already tormented Gilas Pilipinas. —FIBA PHOTO
Gilas Pilipinas’ first stern test in the Fiba Asia Cup will come against New Zealand, a team built with young talent sprinkled with veteran presence, much like how the Nationals were put together.
There will be plenty of names to take a closer look at ahead of Thursday’s clash at the Mall of Asia Arena, but national coach Tim Cone believes new Tall Blacks captain Corey Webster will be the visitors’ main player.
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“Well, you know, Webster is here, the NBA guy. He will be a guy to watch out for because he can change a game. When he’s hot, he rolls,” he said.
Webster, now 35, saw 97 Fiba matches for the Kiwis. And he’s no stranger to the Philippines’ style of play and home crowd, having faced Gilas in the 2016 Olympic qualifiers in Manila.
A well-traveled guard who worked with the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks, Webster averaged 21.7 points in that tournament, which meant rounding out the field for the Rio Olympics. He scored 23 points in an 89-80 victory against the Philippine team, then under the banner of Andray Blatche.
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He was also important during the 2019 Fiba World Cup, with his 22.8 points average being third in the entire showcase.
17 year old Kiwi
“They come in tens of thousands, fill their arenas and love their national team,” he said of the Filipinos, whom he will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
“Playing in Manila is something not many players get to experience, it’s always amazing and having a match there in this window is a great experience for any player. I know it will be electric,” a- he added in an interview. published on the Tall Blacks website.
Webster won’t be the only name worth paying attention to before entering the Gilas booth. New Zealand coach Judd Flavell himself revealed this secret.
“They are an exciting group, a young group playing at a high level for their Australian clubs. Look at Tyrell (Harrison), Sam Mennenga, Sam Waardenburg, Flynn (Cameron), Izayah (Le’afa), Max (Darling), Hyrum (Harris), all in their 20s and 30s and all playing pivotal roles. at very good clubs in a very good league which attracts attention from all over the world,” he said.
Waardenburg is only 17, but the 6ft 10in big man has already played for New Zealand in the last TQO held in Greece. He is expected to form a fierce front line with 7-foot Harrison.
Mennenga, 22, was also part of the team that upset top-ranked Croatia in the Greek city of Piraeus, and he could very well support Tom Vodanovich in the paint, who knows a thing or two about basketball. Filipino ball after a stint with Converge. .
Darling and Harris were part of the first team that beat China Taipei and Hong Kong by an average of 29.5 points.
“Add in that experience from Corey… and I think we have a fantastic mix in this group and for these two test matches,” Flavell said.
Cone, for his part, was optimistic about Gilas’ chances against his former tormentor. And it is to him that he owes his 2-0 start.
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“You know, we’ve already integrated this program – this programming – through the two windows that we’ve already played. So we hope to reap the rewards in the next tournament,” he said. INQ
