Gilas Pilipinas routs Kazakhstan, enters World Cup
Team effort — not just from the athletes who played on court but from every person who worked behind the scenes. This is what paved the way for the Philippines’ second straight FIBA World Cup entry, according to Gilas Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao.
Gilas defeated Kazakhstan 93-75 at the Velodrome Saryarka in Astana, making it three in a row, including our automatic entry in the 2023 tournament as one of the host countries. Team Philippines also benefited from Korea’s win against Lebanon, 84-72 securing its spot among the seven Asian teams, excluding host China.
The other countries in the region that qualified are Iran, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, New Zealand, and Australia.
Not without support
Guiao said many people have to be acknowledged for the team’s recent win. According to him, the cooperation between the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), as well as the relentless support of Filipino basketball fans all contributed to the national team’s achievement.
He also shared the recognition with coach Chot Reyes and the players who took part in the first three windows of the qualifiers. Guiao took over from Reyes after the Gilas-Australia brawl last July 2018.
Looking forward to the World Cup
Undoubtedly, a basketball-crazy nation like the Philippines will look forward to every match as it unfolds.
Gilas may have had its share of hits and misses, but it’s also important to note the significant finishes that have showed how much they’ve grown.
While Andray Blatche was dominant during the first half of their Kazakhstan game, Guiao was pleased the team stepped up when the naturalized player had to sit out in the third period due to foul trouble.
Jayson Castro, the only double-digit scorer for Gilas aside from Blatche, contributed 15 points. Meanwhile, June Mar Fajardo put in 9 points in 12 quality minutes. Gilas also did well shooting from the foul line, making 20 out of 28 attempts.
