GILAS Pilipinas sets out for battle in the 31st SEA Games with a big bulls-eye on their back.
Coach Chot Reyes and his troops know the challenge, and they're not to turn their back on it, hoping to blast off strong from Day 1 of the men's basketball competition where they tangle with Thailand at the Thanh Tri Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Tip-off is at 4 p.m. (5 p.m. in Manila) with the Nationals facing a Thai team bannered by the quartet that claimed the 3x3 throne vacated by the dethroned Phl squad Saturday.
"The kind of opposition that we have here is serious. They are a serious threat. We already saw what happened in the 3x3. Those are the guys. We know their level and that's why it's very important that we will be able to beat that challenge," said Reyes.
SEAG five-gold holder Kiefer Ravena and the rest of the Gilas crew brace for battle right in the first game versus the Thais who are perked up by the 3x3 title run by Moses Morgan, Frederick Lish, Antonio Price Soonthornchote, and Chanatip Jakwaran.
Sponsored content:
The Nationals have no room for complacency, missteps or error as tournament format is a short single round robin where the top team automatically wins the crown.
"Isang talo lang, delikadong madisgrasya ka na," said team manager Butch Antonio.
It's a seven-team tourney where the Rajko Toroman-mentored Indonesian team and the host squad, featuring a number of Vietnamese-Americans, also looming as threats to the 12-time defending champs Filipinos.
Against the Viets in the semis, the Phl 3x3 team of Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Jorey Napoles, Reymar Caduyac and Marvin Hayes sputtered to a 21-14 loss.
That could serve as a warning to Reyes and his troops as to the kind of competition they're to face in the Hanoi meet.
Sponsored content:
Players to play side by side with Kiefer Ravena include his brother Thirdy, PBA players June Mar Fajardo, Matthew Wright, Roger Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Mo Tautuaa, Kib Montalbo and Isaac Go, and Gilas cadets Will Navarro, and Lebron Lopez.
During the team managers meeting Sunday, Gilas was to formally enter Jaydee Tungcab as a last-minute replacement to Kevin Alas who decided to skip the Games to be with his wife, former PBA courtside reporter Selina Dagdag who is currently suffering from a rare type of cancer. (SB)
