World Cup bound! Gilas Pilipinas bucks odds to reach int'l basketball's top tourney
Dominic Menor, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Feb 25 2019 12:21 AM | Updated as of Feb 25 2019 06:29 AM
Thanks to a sensational start by Andray Blatche, Gilas Pilipinas found the confidence to beat Kazakhstan to advance to the FIBA World Cup. FIBA.com
For the Philippines men's national basketball team, there was no shortage of drama in the 15 months since the qualifying phase of the FIBA World Cup began.
Regardless of the dizzying, up-and-down journey that involved a coaching change, numerous roster shuffles, suspensions, controversies, and painful defeats, the squad still accomplished its mission at the end of it all.
The Filipinos are returning to the FIBA World Cup.
Gilas Pilipinas defeated Kazakhstan 93-75 in the capital city of Astana and benefited from the result of another game, both of which happened on Sunday night, to book a ticket to the sport's biggest competition.
Coach Yeng Guiao and his crew entered their final two qualifying games this month with their backs against the wall, needing to sweep their road assignments and crossing their fingers that a few outcomes went their way.
Guiao's squad realized both, and now they're one of 32 teams that will compete in China beginning August 31 for basketball's ultimate international prize.
"We're just glad it's over," the Gilas head coach said. "We were feeling the pressure prior to the game. We really wanted to make it to the World Cup."
Andray Blatche was phenomenal against Kazakhstan, scoring a personal-high 41 points, 17 of which came in a blistering first-quarter performance at Republican Velodrome Saryarka.
This was three days after his all-around brilliance fueled Gilas' 84-46 victory against Qatar in Doha on Thursday.
"It was a very emotional game for us. We knew what was at stake for us. It was either win or go home and I feel like we competed from the jump to the end," said Blatche, who also tallied 13 rebounds, 4 s†éáls and 2 blocks, along with 5 3-pointers against Kazakhstan.
It was a tense last day of qualifying for the Filipinos, who, besides eyeing a win themselves, hoped either Japan, Jordan or Lebanon lost in their respective games, all of which were being played simultaneously Sunday night.
After Japan walloped Qatar 96-48, it meant a win by the Philippines (7-5) was good for only 4th place in their group and that it had to finish with a better record than Jordan or Lebanon.
Thanks to South Korea's 84-72 win over Lebanon (6-6), Gilas escaped the ax and is now one of 7 Asian teams -- not counting host China -- that will be playing in the World Cup.
The other countries in the region that qualified are Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand and South Korea.
Despite Blatche's dominant start and the Philippines holding a double-digit lead for long stretches, Gilas couldn't entirely shake off the determined hosts, who had been eliminated from contention entering the contest.
When Blatche was subbed out after being called for his fourth foul in the third quarter, Kazakhstan narrowed the deficit down to 60-54.
But two 3-pointers by Jayson Castro and a pair of subsequent free throws made it 70-55 steadying the ship for the Philippines.
Another triple by Castro midway through the fourth, which firmed up the visitors' lead at 85-68, essentially sealed Kazakhstan's doom.
Castro was the only other double-digit scorer for Gilas with 15 points. June Mar Fajardo, who spelled Blatche, added 9 in 12 quality minutes.
Guiao said he liked how his players held their own as the foul-burdened Blatche sat.
"Andray carried us on his shoulders in the first half. He was on fire. I was kind of worried that the rest of the guys were going to over-rely on him, but the second half the rest of the guys stepped up," the coach said.
The Philippines saw its hot shooting in Doha on Thursday spill over onto the Kazakhstan game, wherein Gilas made 13 of 30 (43.3%) from behind the arc.
Gilas also shot effectively from the foul line, making 20-of-28 attempts. Blatche, a 55-percent free-throw shooter, went 12 of 14.
The last time Guiao faced Kazakhstan was at Mall of Asia Arena in November, the first of two heartbreaking losses on the Filipinos' home floor that put them on the ropes and forced them in the must-win predicament.
In Astana, the Steppe Wolves kept in step with Gilas, but they didn't have an answer for an on-fire Blatche.
"We have a lot of respect for the Kazakhstan team," Guiao said.
"They beat us in Manila in a close game. We prepared hard for this game. We tried to remedy the mistakes that we made in Manila, but even then it was still a tough game for us."
Dominic Menor, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Feb 25 2019 12:21 AM | Updated as of Feb 25 2019 06:29 AM
Thanks to a sensational start by Andray Blatche, Gilas Pilipinas found the confidence to beat Kazakhstan to advance to the FIBA World Cup. FIBA.comFor the Philippines men's national basketball team, there was no shortage of drama in the 15 months since the qualifying phase of the FIBA World Cup began.
Regardless of the dizzying, up-and-down journey that involved a coaching change, numerous roster shuffles, suspensions, controversies, and painful defeats, the squad still accomplished its mission at the end of it all.
The Filipinos are returning to the FIBA World Cup.
Gilas Pilipinas defeated Kazakhstan 93-75 in the capital city of Astana and benefited from the result of another game, both of which happened on Sunday night, to book a ticket to the sport's biggest competition.
Coach Yeng Guiao and his crew entered their final two qualifying games this month with their backs against the wall, needing to sweep their road assignments and crossing their fingers that a few outcomes went their way.
Guiao's squad realized both, and now they're one of 32 teams that will compete in China beginning August 31 for basketball's ultimate international prize.
"We're just glad it's over," the Gilas head coach said. "We were feeling the pressure prior to the game. We really wanted to make it to the World Cup."
Andray Blatche was phenomenal against Kazakhstan, scoring a personal-high 41 points, 17 of which came in a blistering first-quarter performance at Republican Velodrome Saryarka.
This was three days after his all-around brilliance fueled Gilas' 84-46 victory against Qatar in Doha on Thursday.
"It was a very emotional game for us. We knew what was at stake for us. It was either win or go home and I feel like we competed from the jump to the end," said Blatche, who also tallied 13 rebounds, 4 s†éáls and 2 blocks, along with 5 3-pointers against Kazakhstan.
It was a tense last day of qualifying for the Filipinos, who, besides eyeing a win themselves, hoped either Japan, Jordan or Lebanon lost in their respective games, all of which were being played simultaneously Sunday night.
After Japan walloped Qatar 96-48, it meant a win by the Philippines (7-5) was good for only 4th place in their group and that it had to finish with a better record than Jordan or Lebanon.
Thanks to South Korea's 84-72 win over Lebanon (6-6), Gilas escaped the ax and is now one of 7 Asian teams -- not counting host China -- that will be playing in the World Cup.
The other countries in the region that qualified are Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand and South Korea.
Despite Blatche's dominant start and the Philippines holding a double-digit lead for long stretches, Gilas couldn't entirely shake off the determined hosts, who had been eliminated from contention entering the contest.
When Blatche was subbed out after being called for his fourth foul in the third quarter, Kazakhstan narrowed the deficit down to 60-54.
But two 3-pointers by Jayson Castro and a pair of subsequent free throws made it 70-55 steadying the ship for the Philippines.
Another triple by Castro midway through the fourth, which firmed up the visitors' lead at 85-68, essentially sealed Kazakhstan's doom.
Castro was the only other double-digit scorer for Gilas with 15 points. June Mar Fajardo, who spelled Blatche, added 9 in 12 quality minutes.
Guiao said he liked how his players held their own as the foul-burdened Blatche sat.
"Andray carried us on his shoulders in the first half. He was on fire. I was kind of worried that the rest of the guys were going to over-rely on him, but the second half the rest of the guys stepped up," the coach said.
The Philippines saw its hot shooting in Doha on Thursday spill over onto the Kazakhstan game, wherein Gilas made 13 of 30 (43.3%) from behind the arc.
Gilas also shot effectively from the foul line, making 20-of-28 attempts. Blatche, a 55-percent free-throw shooter, went 12 of 14.
The last time Guiao faced Kazakhstan was at Mall of Asia Arena in November, the first of two heartbreaking losses on the Filipinos' home floor that put them on the ropes and forced them in the must-win predicament.
In Astana, the Steppe Wolves kept in step with Gilas, but they didn't have an answer for an on-fire Blatche.
"We have a lot of respect for the Kazakhstan team," Guiao said.
"They beat us in Manila in a close game. We prepared hard for this game. We tried to remedy the mistakes that we made in Manila, but even then it was still a tough game for us."