How magical is homecourt advantage?

MANILA, Philippines - They call it the Sixth Man, the X-factor that could mean the difference between winning and losing. They’re the fans in the stands, cheering themselves hoarse to inspire the home team and demoralize the other. It’s the so-called homecourt advantage which in the NBA, is what 30 teams play for in the regular season to bring to the playoffs.

In the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the MOA Arena starting today, the Philippines enjoys the homecourt advantage and will surely get a boost from the crowd when action begins. All over the world, only the Philippines and Lithuania are known to be the countries where basketball is the No. 1 sport with their fans loyal and passionate to the bone. During the 2014 World Cup, FIBA ran a social media contest to determine the country with the Most Valuable Fans and not surprisingly, the Philippines came out on top.

Now more than ever, the Filipino fans must show up in droves to support Gilas in a dogfight for one ticket to Rio. The Philippines, France, New Zealand, Turkey, Canada and Senegal are vying for that lone slot in a blitz event of nine games in five days. Only No. 31 Senegal is ranked lower than No. 28 Philippines among the participating countries. France is No. 5, Turkey No. 8, New Zealand No. 21 and Canada No. 26.

The magic of the homecourt advantage is something that’s not easily discounted. At the 2010 FIBA World Cup, Istanbul hosted and Turkey went straight to the final, beating along the way, teams like France, Serbia and Russia. At the 2015 FIBA Asia Championships, China probably wouldn’t have beaten the Philippines in the final without good, old home cooking.

Former Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman said the other day the Philippines that lost to Turkey by 35 and to Italy by 36 in tune-ups during a recent Europe tour won’t be the same Philippines playing at the MOA Arena. “If the Philippines isn’t hosting and will play the qualifier in Italy or in Serbia, I can tell you now, no way the Philippines wins,” said Toroman who just signed a contract to coach Tianjin in the Chinese Basketball Association next season. “You can even put the Philippines at -50. But in Manila, anything is possible. If you play on your homecourt, sometimes, it’s easier to make shots. Andray Blatche could dominate inside. The fans are with you. I think Gilas is capable of making some surprises. But the question is, will the surprises be enough for Gilas to win the tournament?”

Paul Howard, an American basketball guru who has visited Manila on countless trips as consultant and scout for various teams since the 1980s, said Gilas must play flawlessly to advance to Rio, nothing short of its A-game every night. “Playing in Manila is a big factor,” said Howard. “The Filipino fans are the best in the world and when they make noise in the arena, that Sixth Man will be huge. The Philippines’ chances hinge on who are coming to play for which team and if Gilas can execute the drive-and-kick. I think the Philippines is in a position to use quickness to its advantage, particularly in running the dribble-drive offense. That’s how the Philippines can bring down teams like France, Turkey or Canada. It won’t be easy but it’s the way to win in international basketball.”

Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone said the homecourt edge could be critical. “At the FIBA Asia Championships in 2013, we got a big lift from the crowd when we beat South Korea in the semis,” he said. “It was great coaching by Chot (Reyes) but the fans also helped by cheering for Gilas from the start. When we host the Olympic qualifier, maybe we’ll get some home cooking. Our players are used to the venue conditions. They’re familiar with the rims. I’m not suggesting we do like the Boston Celtics during the Red Auerbach era when they shut off the air-conditioning and the hot water in the opposing team’s lockerroom. But that gives you an idea of what a host can do.”

Cone said he’s hoping reigning PBA back-to-back MVP June Mar Fajardo will make an impact. “Right now, he’s playing at a level much higher than when he played at the 2013 FIBA Asia and 2014 FIBA World Championships,” he said. “Anything can happen when the knockout playoffs begin in the semis.”

Turkey, Canada and Senegal are in Group A while France, New Zealand and the Philippines are in Group B at the qualifier here. Teams in the same group play a round-robin for the first three days of competition then the top two placers in each group advance to the knockout semifinals on July 9. The semifinal winners then battle for the Olympic ticket in the final on July 10.