GILAS Pilipinas hopes its more than a week of preparations in New Zealand is enough to keep the team sharp heading to its keenly-awaited rematch with the Tall Blacks on Friday for the third window of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers at the Spark Arena in Auckland.
The Filipinos clash with the Tall Blacks at 3 p.m. Manila time (7 p.m. in New Zealand).
The team’s confidence is sky high after sweeping its two-game friendlies against two New Zealand National Basketball League squads this week.
The Filipinos clobbered the Manawatu Jets, 92-61, and the Franklin Bulls, 94-66.
Naturalized player Justin Brownlee did not see action in both friendlies as coach Tim Cone opted to rest him.
Cone said the back-to-back victories they accomplished was due to the team following its game plan. But the American coach mentioned that executing the plays in the real game will be a different story.
“Most importantly, we need to be able to execute through their physicality,” Cone said.
Cone added they will at least, need to split their road games against New Zealand and Australia in window 3.
“No doubt, we need at least one (win in the road game), otherwise we lose all of our margin for error in the next round,” shared the 68-year-old Gilas mentor, who has been coaching non-stop since steering Barangay Ginebra to the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup crown.
“It's all about being able to execute through their physicality. That will be the key.”
Gilas lost to New Zealand, 66-69, before getting whacked by Australia, 93-66 en route to back-to-back home losses in window 2 last February.
Gilas will go up against a New Zealand side that carries the core the defeated the Philippines last February at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Tall Blacks, meanwhile, are revved up for their home game, featuring veteran guards Tai Webster and Shea Ili, shooting guard Mojave King and young center Sam Waardenburg.
The four will be blending in with the eight holdovers from the crew that beat Gilas Pilipinas in window 2, led by Sam Mennenga, Carlin Davison, Taylor Britt, Taine Murray, Jordan Ngatai, Reuben Te Rangi, Tohi Smith-Milner and Sam Timmins.
After facing New Zealand, the Philippine team will travel to Perth to face off with world No. 6 Australia.
The standings heading to the third window has Australia leading the way with a perfect 4-0 record, followed by the Philippines and New Zealand at 2-2, with Guam, winless in four games.
Dropping the two away games can put Gilas Pilipinas in a more difficult scenario for the next round scheduled in late August.
The next round puts the Philippines in a potential collision course with powerhouse teams Jordan and Iran.
