2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

[paliganibossalfrancis]

Do you think the Puso Team led by Alapag and RDO can beat Latvia?

No because we had a lot of deficiencies from all positions hence the 'Puso' battlecry. Blatche was overcompensating for those holes. This is the only competition where our players has the size and skill advantage. Imagine we have 4 of the best players in the tournament so far.

[paliganibossalfrancis]

With a prime Blatche, its possible

To be fair, prime Blatche was different. The basket seemed like an ocean for him.

The rest of Gilas was also in high spirits and tip top shape during those times. They had enough time to prepare but since there was such a huge talent disparity between Blatche and his teammates, all we achieved there were moral victories. We were never able to replicate our performance in WC2014 because Blatche was already on the way out of his NBA form, Alapag was retiring, Castro was too one-dimensional and Junemar wasn't Junemar. It also didn't help that we had 6'4 power forwards and 6'2 wings.

[IPC]

Thats the only way to describe the team. We are not atheltically imposing like the africans. The closest to our game is argentina, and we can also call that team technical. So yes, under CTC we are technical and deliberate. Under chot, we are trying to be atheltic with the DDO but we dont have the tools.

I mean, with the way we played in the past, I feel we're more chaotic than technical.

It's just hard to believe that we're now being recognized for technical ability.

[CoJ]

To be fair, prime Blatche was different. The basket seemed like an ocean for him.

The rest of Gilas was also in high spirits and tip top shape during those times. They had enough time to prepare but since there was such a huge talent disparity between Blatche and his teammates, all we achieved there were moral victories. We were never able to replicate our performance in WC2014 because Blatche was already on the way out of his NBA form, Alapag was retiring, Castro was too one-dimensional and Junemar wasn't Junemar. It also didn't help that we had 6'4 power forwards and 6'2 wings.

True, rest of the gilas cast except for norwood were already banged up

imagine this gilas with a prime blatche as the NP, but i dont think sbo coukd afford a blatche type Np given than half the team plays abroad and they need tompay insurance premiums for them

[CoJ]

I mean, with the way we played in the past, I feel we're more chaotic than technical.

It's just hard to believe that we're now being recognized for technical ability.

We were too chaotic that our opponents at times were confused

[yogaflame]

Brazil is more on speed, athleticsm, and they are lenghty we have to prepare. They are not as good as Latvia in shooting threes but still they are decent in 3 point shooting. Watch out for Santos, he plays like Jason Castro, not that tall but very quick.

Real talk, if Kai will not play , we will lose. I pray he can be healthy and courageous in this game. Anyway, it will be fun game for sure. God bless to teal Gilas Pilipinas. God willing we get 2 wins to get to the Olympics.

[empyreanmaze]

Do you think the Puso Team led by Alapag and RDO can beat Latvia?

They would be down 27 by the end of the 3rd quarter. They have absolutely nobody that could've guarded the players in this Latvian roster. Pingris? Norwood? Gary David? those guys could've only kept up for 2 quarters max before the Latvians start blowing by and shooting over them while Fajardo and Japeth would've had 4 fouls each. You can vividly imagine how it would go:

Tenorio, Alapag, Lee: pass-pass-pass-turnover
Gary David wide open at the corner with 3 seconds left choosing to pass for a turnover
Pingris posting up Bertans and picking a fight after getting swatted for the 5th time
Bertans torching Pingris
Blatche making circus shots
RDO wide open at the 3 choosing to pass inside to Blatche resulting in a turnover
Chan and Paul Lee 2/21 from 3 while being the main factors for a 18-0 Latvia run
Chot instructing the team to injure Kurucs and Timma
Kurucs torching the soul out of Lee, Chan and Gary David
Norwood with a few wide open dunks

game finishes: 101-76 Latvia win

[CoJ]

They would be down 27 by the end of the 3rd quarter. They have absolutely nobody that could've guarded the players in this Latvian roster. Pingris? Norwood? Gary David? those guys could've only kept up for 2 quarters max before the Latvians start blowing by and shooting over them while Fajardo and Japeth would've had 4 fouls each. You can vividly imagine how it would go:

Tenorio, Alapag, Lee: pass-pass-pass-turnover
Gary David wide open at the corner with 3 seconds left choosing to pass for a turnover
Pingris posting up Bertans and picking a fight after getting swatted for the 5th time
Bertans torching Pingris
Blatche making circus shots
RDO wide open at the 3 choosing to pass inside to Blatche resulting in a turnover
Chan and Paul Lee 2/21 from 3 while being the main factors for a 18-0 Latvia run
Chot instructing the team to injure Kurucs and Timma
Kurucs torching the soul out of Lee, Chan and Gary David
Norwood with a few wide open dunks

game finishes: 101-76 Latvia win

that team is so small, castro,alapag, tenorio, lee are all sub 6’0. And the usual rotation involved 2pgs on the floor all the time.

[empyreanmaze]

that team is so small, castro,alapag, tenorio, lee are all sub 6’0. And the usual rotation involved 2pgs on the floor all the time.

Yeah that team had 2 players who makes Yuki Kawamura look like a power forward. That team was so revered for how much it punched above its weight, it really represented the average Filipino dude you see everyday in the Philippines, it's obvious why we mythicize it.

[JAMSKIE]

I mean, with the way we played in the past, I feel we're more chaotic than technical.

It's just hard to believe that we're now being recognized for technical ability.

Hahaha! Perhaps the Brazilian coach was used to seeing Chot Reyes-mentored Gilas being chaotic & lacking in system. A far cry from the current Gilas team under coach Tim which is well organized & has structured system.

[paliganibossalfrancis]

Yeah that team had 2 players who makes Yuki Kawamura look like a power forward. That team was so revered for how much it punched above its weight, it really represented the average Filipino dude you see everyday in the Philippines, it's obvious why we mythicize it.

2024 gilas is like the little boy you bullied in 2014 who’s now all grown up.

[paliganibossalfrancis]

that team is so small, castro,alapag, tenorio, lee are all sub 6’0. And the usual rotation involved 2pgs on the floor all the time.

which goes to show how stup*d sometimes chot is with roster construction.

he had a chance to include Jay Washington and Jared Dillinger over useless Gary David and Paul Dalistan

maybe should have inserted Dondon hontiveros there as well instead of LA Tenorio. now we have 2 legitimate threats from deep aside from Jeff Chan

[empyreanmaze]

2024 gilas is like the little boy you bullied in 2014 who’s now all grown up.

Our story in basketball reminds me of my pinoy friend who was like 159cm in school, the smallest mf around and he's like 179cm now after hitting some insane growth spurt, you love to see it. Hopefully more pinoys with sports genes hits the 190cm mark, I've seen many non-athlete Indians at that range, I hope we get there lol. It's time we start forcing basketball to love us back

[IPC]

that team is so small, castro,alapag, tenorio, lee are all sub 6’0. And the usual rotation involved 2pgs on the floor all the time.

which goes to show how stup*d sometimes chot is with roster construction.

he had a chance to include Jay Washington and Jared Dillinger over useless Gary David and Paul Dalistan

maybe should have inserted Dondon hontiveros there as well instead of LA Tenorio. now we have 2 legitimate threats from deep aside from Jeff Chan

Yeah, Chot's roster construction sometimes is too small internationally. He wants shot creators, so he'll have at least two or three (Castro, Terrence, Jimmy, Blatche, JC), sometimes at the expense of size, versatility, and defense.

On another note, I have the same issue with someone like Aldin Ayo. Sometimes, his rosters are too small, especially at the wing. Speed at the expense of versatility.

[paliganibossalfrancis]

True, rest of the gilas cast except for norwood were already banged up

imagine this gilas with a prime blatche as the NP, but i dont think sbo coukd afford a blatche type Np given than half the team plays abroad and they need tompay insurance premiums for them

hmm thats an interesting lineup actually. question really is how willing andray blatche is to follow the game plan and sacrifice his personal stats. He joined Gilas back then looking for another NBA contract. He was offered a bench role in Miami declined then it went downhill from there bouncing around CBA and getting overweight. Thats why we never got the same 2014 Andray again.

Now back to your question, I think Prime Andray in lieu of JB will work. But again, he just has to buy into the system. Prime Andray is still an NBA modern big prototype plus he has better players around him, the carry job will be lighter