M
Metta2
Guest
Did someone get banned? I was expecting this thread to be flooded with his hot takes.
It's the fact that once they went up 9-0, they allowed this team that's not on their level to make it a game for at least a half. And yes, I did compare to how this game went by with the Korea-Australia and Taipei-NZ games. This FIBA game is about who makes runs at the right time. It didn't look very professional out there for the first 20 minutes. Then those outside shots started to fall despite good defense... then HK just ran out of gas when Gilas decided to run... this clearly won't work against better teams and the thought of it makes me doubt our chances in World Cup qualifying next year when all them Ginebra players will be tired af coming into those late-2026 windows if the SBP still goes with this aging core. For FIBA Asia qualifying, it is what it is. 2nd place in the group suddenly looks questionable.
It's the fact that once they went up 9-0, they allowed this team that's not on their level to make it a game for at least a half. And yes, I did compare to how this game went by with the Korea-Australia and Taipei-NZ games. This FIBA game is about who makes runs at the right time. It didn't look very professional out there for the first 20 minutes. Then those outside shots started to fall despite good defense... then HK just ran out of gas when Gilas decided to run... this clearly won't work against better teams and the thought of it makes me doubt our chances in World Cup qualifying next year when all them Ginebra players will be tired af coming into those late-2026 windows if the SBP still goes with this aging core. For FIBA Asia qualifying, it is what it is. 2nd place in the group suddenly looks questionable.
Over-confidence is a common thing. Gilas never really thought of HK as a threat. They throttled HK in the beginning, HK punched back, they got surprised by the resistance, and then just remembered how much better they were. This won't work against better teams, but it's understandable for a first game against a weak team.
We'll be seeing zone defense against us plenty since scouting report on us is bad shooting. And if we can't bust zone D's, it gives our inferior opponents a chance to hang.
As far as plays/actions are concerned...I'd just like to assume that we don't want to show our plays this early especially against a team we can beat bara-bara style.
So then what was the whole point of getting a coach of a pro team... who had four of his players from his own team... plus three players he worked with in the Asian Games... and two B.League players that are supposed to be pro-level who he is very familiar with working as an assistant in the World Cup... leaving Tamayo and KQ as the only guys who had to be familiar with the group?
Did you buy that bs that Al Francis and those SBP replacements told you that this setup should be that much better in terms of continuity than a bunch of college kids and a FIBA (Al Francis even dared to call him an amateur) coach in a 3-week camp so that the PBA can just finish the Commisioner's Cup in peace?
Sotto was the most useful player in that game no thanks to this stagant offense they tried to run, but because all HK could do was foul his lanky ass and try to make it harder for him to position inside... but he made 7/8 FT's. Cone's own Ginebra players were trying to play PBA baaketball in a game where no one calls defensive 3 for camping in the paint on the zone.
See, the difference with legit FIBA ball than a typical Ginebra game is the number of actions away from the ball to find the best option as opposed to moving that ball around where the end result is a contested corner three or skip pass to the top where everything is more about JB's talent and ability to draw defenders than tactical maturity. Ultimately, they made those shots in the 3rd but found more success out-running a tired 6-man HK team.
Predictions for sunday's game:
Hong Kong - New Zealand 35
Japan - China 18
Korea - Thailand 20
Mongolia - Guam 10
Chinese-Taipei - Philippines 10
Indonesia - Australia 45
tamayo is not a center and shouldn't be played as one. he's at his best playing PF next to sotto/edu or as a sf with all 3 of them on the floor.
i liked what i saw from oftana, doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective. great defense too. nice to see somebody adjust well to being a role player after being the primary option in the pba
I tell you, Oftana is vital for CTC's rotation... I think CTC more trust Oftana than his main guy in Ginebra at Malonzo... He was the 1st pick of CTC when he appointed as coach...
This I agree with. Every team needs role players. This is why Cone probably picked Oftana. Defense-oriented in the perimeter and can shoot the lights out if left wide open.
How about today's game? What are your takes? We have to check their games, especially Jordan, Iran and especially our main rival Lebanon....