NATIONALS FACE TREMENDOUS ODDS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Jul 2007
The Philippine National Team faces tremendous odds when it takes the court against China in the nationals second game in the FIBA Asia Men’s Basketball Championships in Tokushima, Japan, following a heartbreaking loss to Iran on opening day.
Not only must the Philippines defeat China which was badly beaten by Jones Cup champions Jordan reinforced by naturalized American star Rasheim Wright but the nationals will also have to overcome the Jordanians in their final Group “A” game tomorrow to advance to the quarter finals. The group has been referred to as “The Group f Death” which is the toughest to qualify from.
The luck of the draw clearly hurt the Filipinos who were bracketed with China , Jordan and Iran which has the biggest team in the tournament with an awesome frontline. In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today coach Chot Reyes said “that’s the problem of having this schedule” pointing out that in the past coach Tim Cone in 1998 “didn’t have a game like this when you are tight and not at your best but playing Malaysia or coach Jong Uichico who had United Arab Emirates.”
Reyes said that Lebanon drew Kuwait and won 104-59, Japan demolished UAE 109-66, Qatar and Kazakhstan both advanced to the quarter finals with Qatar who has given citizenship to players from Africa defeating India 106-49 and Indonesia 86-45 and the Kazakhs whipping Indonesia 107-53 and India 97-74.
Hours before the game against China, coach Reyes said they had “a pretty good practice” and that even though Asi Taulava, Jimmy Alapag and Danny Seigle went down with different injuries against Iran they were “all going to play because I don’t think we can keep them off the floor for today’s game against China.”
Reyes said the players were “upbeat despite being down from the loss to Iran.” The coach said the entire team jumped up because of a traveling violation with the nationals down by a mere point but the referee was “looking at the bench that’s why he missed the call.” The technical call which gave Iran two free throws and ball possession broke the hearts of the Filipinos who had come tantalizingly close from a 17 point deficit late in the third quarter.
Reyes said the team was very focused for the China game even as he reminded them that “no matter what gameplan we come up with, the important thing is that they believe they can win it.” He said they cannot think about Jordan which is their last game in the so-called “Group of Death” adding “we cant think about anything else but China.”
The head coach said that now that the Iran game is out of the way he was hoping that the players who appeared tense because of the tremendous pressure, citing the fact that it was “the first time to play in the FIBA Asia, the big expectations and all that but “hopefully it is out of the way and we will be more relaxed.” At the same time Reyes said “we should know better” about technical foul calls and calls that are considered “unsportsmanlike fouls” which is why Dondon Hontiveros was ejected from the court in the Iran game.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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