Gilas cadets eye No 2 vs Myanmar

KUALA LUMPUR – The Gilas cadet team barely pulled off an escape act versus Thailand Sunday, drawing the kind of morale-boost it would need against the rest of the men’s basketball field as they shoot for their 12th straight Southeast Asian Games gold medal.

They meet lowly Myanmar at 6 tonight at the MABA Gymnasium, hoping they would get enough tune-up in preparation for their showdown with the host team tomorrow.

A growing concern for Gilas is how to break their rivals’ zone defense.

“We have to find a way to break it,” said Gilas skipper Kiefer Ravena.

“(Against Thailand) every team in the competition just saw how you could try to beat the Philippines. Just sit on the zone and wait for them to miss,” Ravena pointed out.

“That’s how we were beaten by Korea in the Jones Cup. Good thing, we’re able to make six (triples against Thailand) compared to one that we made against the Koreans,” added Ravena, recalling their struggle against the Korean zone in their Jones Cup matchup.

The Thais stuck with the zone and nearly pulled off an upset against the defending SEAG champion Team Phl.

The Filipinos made only 6-of-30 three-pointers facing tremendous pressure from the Thais’ swarming defense. But buckets inside the paint at the finish enabled Gilas to grind out an 81-74 triumph.

The addition of an extra shooter in their succeeding games could well help Gilas ease the pressure.

It’s either Mac Belo or Carl Bryan Cruz.

Gilas played with a mere 11-man rotation Sunday as the organizers deferred decision on Team Phl’s request for Belo to be allowed to replace Cruz.

SBP deputy executive director Bernie Atienza is hopeful Belo will be allowed to play in their next games. If not, Cruz joins Christian Standhardinger in doing another duty for the Phl team after their FIBA Asia Cup stint in Beirut.