Size, youth propel Gilas

No doubt about it, Gilas’ size and youth were key factors in sweeping the fourth FIBA World Cup Asia qualifying window to improve its record to 4-4 and stay in contention for a ticket to the Big Dance in Doha next year. Beating Jordan and Iran was a boost as was both teams losing to Australia and New Zealand so the race for third place in the reconstituted Group E has suddenly become tight.

Before the fourth window, Jordan and Iran looked solid with identical 5-1 records while Gilas teetered at 2-4. Now, Jordan and Iran are 5-3. Australia is 8-0 and won’t be dislodged from top of the heap. New Zealand is 6-2 and isn’t likely to be pushed out of second place. So the battle for third will come down to Jordan, Iran and the Philippines. Syria is 2-6 and won’t advance. The top three placers in the group will book tickets to Doha with the fourth finisher also to qualify if its record is better than the fourth contender in the other group. It’ll be a dogfight for sure. Gilas has played in the last three World Cups and is determined to make it four in a row for a chance to go to the 2028 LA Olympics.

Gilas coach Tim Cone is taking it a step at a time but his ultimate goal is to represent Asia in the Olympics. The best Asian finisher in the World Cup, excluding Australia and New Zealand, will go to the Olympics. The first step is to qualify for the World Cup.

The fifth window is scheduled in November with Gilas playing Syria on Nov. 27 and Iran on Nov. 30. The sixth and last window is set in February with Gilas facing Jordan on Feb. 25 and Syria on Feb. 28. Twin wins over Syria will guarantee Gilas six victories in the qualifiers. Repeating over Jordan and Iran should seal the slot in Doha.

SBP executive director Erika Dy said venues for the fifth window will be announced by FIBA end of this week. Manila isn’t an option as a neutral country will be chosen to host the coming window.

After the Asian Games, the PBA will resume hostilities in the Governors’ Cup on Oct. 7 then take another break from Nov. 9 to Dec. 3 to make way for the fifth window. Overseas players will be allowed by their foreign leagues to play in the window which is FIBA-sanctioned. They won’t be allowed in the Asian Games which aren’t a part of the FIBA calendar.

Kai Sotto, 24, Kevin Quiambao, 25, Carl Tamayo, 25, Juan Gomez de Liaño, 26, AJ Edu, 26 and Dwight Ramos, 27 head Gilas’ youth corps with RJ Abarrientos, 26, waiting in the wings. In defeating Jordan and Iran, Gilas displayed interior toughness on both ends as coach Tim Cone put a premium on controlling the paint. Both Jordan and Iran were held to less than 40 percent from the floor. Iran never cracked 20 points in a quarter while Jordan also couldn’t do it from the second quarter to OT. That commitment to defense will bring Gilas back to the World Cup.