Gilas Pilipinas tatayong underdog sa qualifier

MANILA, Philippines – Kumbaga sa boxing, mag­hihintay ng ‘lucky punch’ ang Gilas Pilipinas para talunin ang mga bi­­gating koponan ng France at New Zealand sa dara­ting na 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

“We have more than any underdog’s chances. We have to go out there ready to take a puncher’s chance against the fighter. That’s what we’ve got to be because we might only get a few swings in the game so we got to swing for the fences,” sabi ni Gilas Pilipinas’ coach Tab Baldwin.

Nakatakda ang Olympic Qualifying Tournament sa Hulyo 5-10 sa Mall of Asia Arena sa Pasay City.

Kaagad makakasagupa ng Nationals ang World No. 5 France, inaasahang magbabandera ng mga NBA players kagaya ni San Antonio Spurs’ star point guard Tony Parker.

Kinabukasan ay tatapatan naman ng Gilas Pi­lipinas ang 21st-ranked New Zealand.

“We certainly won’t go out there thinking that we don’t have a chance. We won’t go out there bo­wing to our opponents. I have no doubt the mentality and attitude of the players will be spot-on at game time,” ani Baldwin.

Sinasabing hindi ma­kakapaglaro sina Boris Diaw ng Spurs at Nicholas Batum ng Charlotte Hornets sa OQT dahil sa pag-aasikaso sa kanilang mga bagong kontrata sa NBA.

“If they come with their full contingent, they’ll be very tough. If they come with, say a watered down lineup, there are players playing for France that none of us know their names today that are exceptional players so it won’t be a weak France, no matter what,” sabi ni Baldwin.

Bumuo na si Baldwin ng isang training pool sa pamumuno nina Jayson Cas­tro, Gabe Norwood, Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, June Mar Fajar­do at Marc Pingris at naka­takda namang bumalik sa bansa si naturalized pla­yer Andray Blatche, ha­­bang ipinaramdam ni Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson ng Los An­geles Lakers ang kanyang interes na ma­ka­paglaro sa Gilas.

“We have to see first what the eligibility is for Jordan,” ani Baldwin.