Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN News
MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas faces a significant challenge in moving past their well-known fourth-quarter breakdown against the Dominican Republic on the opening day Friday night. Their primary focus now is shifting towards the crucial match against Angola in the FIBA World Cup.
Scheduled to play against Angola at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, the national team understands the need for adjustments, especially after reviewing their performance against the Dominicans.
Coach Chot Reyes expressed his thoughts on the matter, saying, “We committed 19 turnovers, and that was a significant factor,” following their 87-81 loss to the Dominicans on Friday. “We had a better shooting performance than the Dominicans, but they had more attempts than we did.”
Ranked 41st, the Angolan team, led by Atlanta Hawks’ Bruno Fernando, displayed resilience against Italy for the first three quarters until the Italians took control in the final period, finishing with an 81-67 score.
Reyes emphasized the importance of preparation for the Angolan defensive strategy. He mentioned, “Angola applies ball pressure similar to the Dominican Republic, so we definitely need to make adjustments in our offensive approach.”
Moreover, Reyes stressed the need to minimize turnovers and increase their aggression in offensive rebounds. He noted, “Our main issue (against the Dominicans) was the 19 turnovers and allowing 17 offensive rebounds. We must ensure that we can handle Angola’s defensive pressure effectively,” Reyes added. (AI/MNM)
