MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas battles a highly motivated China national squad at the close of the group stage in the 20th Asian Games men’s basketball on Monday at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.
Game time is 12 noon (Manila time).
The Filipinos are coming off a 109-78 demolition of Kazakhstan last Saturday to mark their first victory.
It was a strong bounce back win since opening its title-retention bid with a shocking 85-89 loss to Bahrain.
But coach Tim Cone said Gilas can’t celebrate just yet, knowing the national team will be battling China, which won its first two games with a pair of blowout wins against Kazakhstan and Bahrain.
Beating the Chinese will be a tall order considering the Filipinos are parading an entirely different team this time.
Monday’s meeting will be the first between these two long-time Asian rivals since the Philippines nipped China, 77-76 in a massive come-from-behind win in their 2023 Asian Games semifinal collision.
Of course, Calvin Oftana is the only remnant of that team that went on to win the Asian Games gold.
Cone said China’s size will be the team’s main concern, while also contending with the many-time Asian champion’s solid backcourt.
“We need to defend their size and handle their guard pressure,” Cone knows Chinese behemoth Yu Jiahao will be a major headache for Gilas’ own front court led by Zavier Lucero, Justine Baltazar, Brandon Bates and Justin Arana.
The 7-3 Jiahao averaged 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in the team’s first two games.
Playmaker Liao Sanning is also seen as a thorn on Gilas’ side as evidenced by his per-game averages of 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
Gilas though has a slew of PBA backcourt stars who are capable of not just stringing up the points, but also make sure they can defend well and push the tempo at every given opportunity.
Robert Bolick, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Adrian Nocum and Sedrick Barefield will take the lead at the guard spot.
Bolick is coming off a 20-point effort against Kazakhstan, despite playing through a painful knee.
On the other hand, Ahanmisi, the reigning three-point king in the PBA, peppered Kazakhstan with 22 points, highlighted by 7-of-11 threes.
