GILAS no more.
Anger and frustration ate up my whole being after the hard, unassailable fact settled down: that the hope of Gilas Pilipinas to vie for a berth in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics has been dashed to pieces, following its heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in the Manila Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
I was dumbfounded as the last 2 minutes was announced with the score in favor of the visitors. Up to that period , I still could not believe that the New Zealanders whom we’ve defeated – at least twice in the recent past of the Jones Cup tourney? – could come back strong and hand us an ignominious defeat in an otherwise must-win situation.
I have good reason to hope for a Gilas’ win. As earlier stated, not only did we repulsed the Tall Blacks twice, we sent jitters to the world’s no. 5 basketball team in the opening match of the qualifier. I was so proud we had the Tony Parker-led basketball powerhouse tailing us until the end of the first quarter, with dazzling moves to the hoop and treys from the likes of Andray Blatche, Jayson Castro and Jeff Chan. It was a magical first quarter period in my life as an avid follower of our national team, and as a believer of what they can do in the world basketball stage. I was never prouder.
Only that we falter in the end. Very much like when we were defeated by China in the last FIBA Asia and in other tournaments against Iran and South Korea for the title. In the middle of the game with France, our boys suddenly became directionless, lost in the ways of systematic basketball dished out by the more experienced French connection. True, the opponents were taller than our boys, but going how we’ve dictated the tempo in the first quarter and how we’ve coasted along throughout the game, I was hopeful that despite the odds stacked against us, we will prevail.
That was the feeling I brought on the next day against New Zealand. I am not sure whether it was frustration from the stinging defeat in the opening game, or complacency from knowledge that the next opponent is not as formidable as the first, that got the Gilas trailing the visitors since the start of the game. Again, the Gilas were at a loss how to make the points, dribbling from end-to-end until they ran out of time already to make the high-percentage shot. And while there were heroic efforts on the part of the individual players, sadly, these ran short of the team play that a game like basketball require to emerge victorious.
Gilas was simply outplayed, out-smarted and outgunned by the French and New Zealander’s; teams which could have been fair game if only the local boys did not lose composure while at it. But, then again, this had always been the case with Gilas, especially when playing crucial or deciding moments of the games.
There’s no question that individually, they’re laden with talent and hungry to win international games, but making use of these when they counted most and sustaining them all throughout was the big question mark? The height advantage of their opponents may have counted a factor in their defeats, but I believe this would have been off-set by 3-point plays. Gilas’ tried this with success in the opening quarter in their game with the French, that’s why we’ve posted a commanding lead in that period.
Maybe it’s time for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) or Manny V. Pangilinan, its major patron – who moved heaven-and-earth to have the Manila qualifier held here for its home-court advantage – to form a new Gilas squad from scratch. A fresh Gilas team composed of amateur stalwarts can be assembled, all or majority of whom will be honed to make the treys and, of course, have the build and ceiling that can compete internationally. The new team will be contracted to stay with the Gilas’ program until they reach a certain age – and entitled to a pay commensurate to their abilities and comparable with the rate offered in the professional league.
In the meantime, they will be made to play in the PBA as a team – finding sponsors for them in this basketball-fantasyland may not be a difficult challenge – and represent the country in tournaments abroad. This or it will be an adieu for Gilas Pilipinas. Jose P. Crisologo, Liloan, Cebu