Tim cone –photo by fiba.com
By entering a game without Tomrow, Gilas Pilipinas would certainly want to take a better start, especially with the Philippins about to face the host of Saudi Arabia who will not be a game of play as in the past.
The Philippines will seek a place in the quarterfinals at 12 midnight Tuesday in Manila, the coach Tim Cone hoping to shake the Ills who spoiled his group phase campaign while displaying the mantra cultivated for many decades by the Barangay Ginebra team that he takes care of the house.
“What I like about our team is that we have not stopped and we continue to come,” said CONE. “Back home, we call it the attitude” Never Say Die “, and this is obvious in this team. And I hope it will be the one that will make us move forward.
“But we don’t want to count on this all the time,” he said. “We have to get better.”
The stake is a confrontation against Australia, the best team of group A and a massive task in case Gilas exceeds a Saudi team which organized the confrontation of intriguing qualification after having ranked second in group C by winning two of the three games.
Saudi Arabia abandoned its opening mission to China, 93-88, but rebounded with victories on Jordan, 77-73, and India, which it did 84-59 on Saturday to secure its place.
Two players were the reasons for the sudden threat of Saudi Arabia in a potential threat to the region, goalkeeper Muhammed-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Center Mohammad Alsuwailem.
Abdur-Rahkman, the 30-year-old goalkeeper who played for Michigan in the US NCAA and is now with the Italian club Treviso Basket, raised an average of 23.7 points in three group games on 39% shooting. It is 9 out of 30, most of which come from the left elbow.
Chris Newsome could probably be responsible as the main defender of Abdur-Rahkman, with Calvin Oftana, provided that his ankle is correct enough for him to play, Scottie Thompson or even Dwight Ramos as possible options for Cone.
The 6 -foot 9 inch Alsuwailem, on the other hand, produced 14.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks for the Saudis, and could impose problems for AJ Edu and June Mar Fajardo.
The Philippines won its last three games with Saudi Arabia, the two most recent in Asia World Cup qualifications in 2022 when Jordan Clarkson led a battery of 84-46 to the Mall of Asia and a triumph of 86-73 on the road.
June Mar Fajardo (center) will be a crucial gilas. –Photos by fiba.com
The Saudis defeated the Philippines in the 1989 edition when he was still known as the ABC championship. Saudi Arabia won 91-89 in overtime when the two teams clashed for seventh place in Beijing, China.
Gilas will try to avoid an upset defeat, first taking a good start, unlike the three games where he had to play the catch -up.
But the difference between the game in Iraq towards the Chinese-Taipei and New Zealand clashes was that Gilas was able to stay at a strike distance despite a pair of six-point deficits in the first quarter, finally linking things to the break before removing for a 66-57 victory on Saturday.
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“You always want to go well,” said CONE. “We just need to have a more defensive intensity at the start of the basketball match, because it is always difficult when you play on your heels and you come from behind.” Inq
