Baldwin on Gilas loss to France: It stings

MANILA, Philippines — So close it hurts.

That’s how Tab Baldwin tried to paint the bleak picture of Gilas Pilipinas falling to the mighty fifth-ranked French team, 84-93, in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Tuesday night.

“It stings a little,” Gilas’ Baldwin told the press.

Indeed, it would hurt, especially when Gilas made an upset look possible early in the game. Leading by as much as 10, Philippines drew stellar outing from its naturalized big man Andray Blatche (21 points) and crucial baskets from its guards Terrence Romeo and Jayson Castro (19 and 14 points, respectively).
 
 “We proved we had a chance in this game,” Baldwin added.

“All of a sudden, nawala ‘yung composure,” Castro rued, echoing his coach. He admitted that while he was excited with the idea of locking horns with a player with the caliber of Tony Parker, he was also “pressured.”

But that kind of basketball is something that should be expected from France, Baldwin noted. “[They are] one of those team  that don’t panic.”

And boy did the Frenchmen not flinch.

Not even after Romeo hit a triple to hint a comeback. Not even when Castro’s aerial acrobatics drew breathed life into a 15,000-strong home crowd.

Nando de Colo, who paced France with 27 markers, was devoid of reaction whenever Gilas tried to claw their way back into the game.

Parker, too, was ice-cold, casually dropping 21 points as if he has never aged and making defensive stops when it mattered the most.

“The real strength of the French team is their guards,” Baldwin noted. “Parker was a handful… he read our defensive schemes well.”

But while the loss would linger to many of the spectators, Castro, during the post-game presser, seemed to have already put the loss behind him, talked about his outlook for the next game — where they’re expected to keep their Olympic bid alive against New Zealand’s Tall Blacks.

"We need to take care of the ball tomorrow (Wednesday). We had a lot of turnovers tonight,” he said.

France will have their turn against New Zealand on Thursday’s nightcap.