TEAM PILIPINAS VS KAZAKHSTAN

PARA sa Gilas Pilipinas, pahirap na ang laban habang papalapit ang pagtatapos ng FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Nasa ikatlong puwesto sa Group F,  hangad ng Nationals na mapanatili ang puwesto sa ibabaw ng hard-charging Team Japan sa kanilang pagsagupa sa  Kazakhstan at Iran sa fifth at penultimate window ng FIBAWC eliminator.

Unang makakaharap ng Nationals ang Kazakhs ngayonga alas-7:30 ng gabi sa MOA Arena sa Pasay City. Pagkatapos ay makakalaban nila ang Iranians sa parehong venue, sa alas-7:30 din ng gabi sa Lunes.

Hindi magiging madali ang laban para sa Nationals subalit nangako si national coach Yeng Guiao na magiging handa ang kanyang mga bataan.

Ang Team Phl roster laban sa Kazakhs ay kinabibilangan  nina June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter, Beau Belga, Japeth Aguilar, Poy Erram, Gabe Norwood, Matthew Wright, Marcio Lassiter, Scottie Thompson, LA Tenorio, Alex Cabagnot at Stanley Pringle.

Si Christian Standhardinger ay isasabak sa laro ng Gilas kontra Iran.

Nagpapasalamat si Guiao sa kanilang tune-up games sa Jordan at Lebanon kung saan marami silang natutunan.

“We won one and lost three, but I’m pretty satisfied. I know that we can still improve. The room for improvement is really big. We need to adjust,” ani  Guiao.

“International basketball is very different from the PBA. We have to execute under pressure, not the regular pressure we’re fac-ing in the PBA. It’s a lot more than that. When you play international basketball, you don’t have a second chance. You play and that’s it. It’s not a best of three, so you have to play your best each time,” paliwanag pa ni Guiao.

“But I trust our players. These are smart, high IQ players, the best in the country. They understand that,” dagdag pa niya.

Ang Kazakhstan at Iran ay kapwa seasoned international teams na makapagbibigay sa Team Phl ng acid tests.

Pinadapa ng Filipinas ang Kazakhstan sa Asian Games sa Jakarta noong Agosto su­balit inaasahan ni Guiao ang mas matinding Kazakhs sa kanilang rematch.

“Probably, they will be the same. If there would be changes, maybe two or three players. Nagulat natin sila sa Asian Games but this would be a different game,” ani Guiao.

“This team has the height, good shooters and they’re rugged. They had a bad night in the Asian Games and we’re lucky. They’ll be more ready and determined Friday,” sabi pa ni Guiao.