Laro Ngayon
(Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center)
7:30 p.m. — Serbia vs Philippines
Ni Jonas Terrado
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FOSHAN, China — Mas mabigat ang laban na haharapin ng Gilas Pilipinas kontra sa contender Serbia ngayon sa pagpapatuloy ng FIBA World Cup dito.
Inamin ni coach Yeng Guiao ang pagkadehado ng Pinoy kontra sa koponan na mistulang paraiso ang international basketball scene sa kanilang laro ganap na 7:30 ng gabi sa Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center.
Tanggap na sa maraming basketball fans ang kabiguan sa Serbia at ang panalangin ng sambayanan ay huwag matulad sa karansan ng Angola na nakatikim ng 105-59 kabiguan sa Serbina sa Group D opener.
Naitala ng Serbia ang 65-percent shooting (13-of-20) mula sa three-point area.
“Certainly that’s a big worry, especially with their bigs being able to shoot that three,” pahayag ni Guiao.
Natamo ng Gilas ang 108-62 kabiguan sa kamay ng Italian cagers sa sariling opening match.
“So if we have a problem against Italy, that’s going to be the same problem, probably even worst problem against Serbia,” aniya.
Tanging inaasahan ni Guiao ang makasabay ang Gilas at mas maging kompetitibo, at huwag maulit ang mababang performance sa outside shooting.
Naimintis ng Gilas ang 18 pagtatangka sa three-points bago tinapos ang laro na may mababang 3-of-23 clip. Nakakuha rin ang Gilas, binubuo ng selection player ng PBA, ng 23 turnovers.
Tula ding inaasahan, world-class basketball ang nilarong Italy.
“They moved the ball really well. Anywhere or everywhere the ball land is a threat. So we just need to recover to whoever is going to catch the ball,” pahayag ni Guiao.
“The problem is that we didn’t have that kind of speed and there’s always a problem. When you rotate and your bigs couldn’t keep up with that kind of rotation, somebody’s always going to be open on the third, fourth, maybe on the fifth pass as were on the other hand they kept on switching us.
“Their guards could guard our bigs and their bigs could guard our guards. So it’s just really a dead end for us, especially when you don’t make your three-point shots,” aniya.
Pangungunahan ang Serbia nina Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic at 7-foot-3 Boban Marjanovic ng Dallas Mavericks.
