Gilas Pilipinas members have fun with their gold medals after defeating Jordan of their males’s basketball gold medal on the nineteenth Asian Video games in Hangzhou, China, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. REUTERS/Marko Djurica
A bit of over a month faraway from a lackluster World Cup marketing campaign and a few 1,700 kilometers away from dwelling, Gilas Pilipinas lastly discovered a cause to have fun.
The Nationals, rapidly assembled and despatched to an extended and arduous route within the nineteenth Asian Video games (Asiad), saved their finest for final on Friday night time and thumped Jordan, 70-60, to seize the nation’s first basketball gold in over six a long time.
“Our guys have been simply actually disciplined tonight,” nationwide coach Tim Cone instructed reporters earlier than hurrying in direction of the crew dugout at Hangzhou Olympic Centre Gymnasium in China to hitch within the revelry after a marketing campaign that might be talked about for ages.
“It was only a good recreation by us tonight they usually (Jordan) had an off taking pictures night time,” he went on.
That “good recreation” was constructed on one more large night time by Justin Brownlee, who completed with 20 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, and the well timed breakout outings of Ange Kouame and Chris Newsome, who chipped in 14 and 13 factors, respectively.
Gilas was simply as commendable on protection, holding the erstwhile unbeaten Falcons to simply 26-percent taking pictures from the sector—their worst within the continental showcase that got here at a time once they have been additionally taking pictures for his or her first cage gold.
“I believe we did a very good job recovering (Sami) Bzai, not letting him get lots of seems to be, and that was one of many keys,” Cone stated.
First since Loyzaga time
Gilas Pilipinas gamers carry their head coach Tim Cone following their win over Jordan within the males’s basketball gold medal match on the nineteenth Asian Video games in Hangzhou, China, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (AP Picture/Lee Jin-man)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson virtually wanted to bleed for his 24 factors to guide Jordan, which bamboozled the Philippines by 25 factors in group play final week. However with simply Freddy Ibrahim the one different participant ending in twin digits, the Falcons settled for a bridesmaid end.
“I do know it’s no gold for Jordan. It might’ve been their first. Good for each of us,” Cone stated with a smirk.
Scottie Thompson had 11 factors, 5 rebounds and three assists within the triumph that gave the nation its first Asiad basketball gold since late Fiba Corridor of Famer Carlos Loyzaga and his crew did it in Jakarta, Indonesia, again in 1962.
General, the Philippines now has 5 basketball titles.
However what really makes this victory even sweeter was the way in which it was solid: via sacrifice.
Cone was appointed coach on Sept. 7, simply 19 days earlier than the match (See pregame story in Sports activities, Web page A10). Half of the gamers additionally got here late, prompting pundits and this basketball-crazed nation’s followers to jot down off this very squad even earlier than its first recreation.
Vindication
However maybe, CJ Perez stated it finest on his option to the crew’s celebrations.
“Nakabakasyon na, nanalo pa!” (We gained whereas virtually on trip.)
Friday night time’s feat was additionally a vindication in lots of methods for a program that was maligned after a dismal World Cup marketing campaign that noticed a special bunch of Nationals win only one recreation, a 20-point destruction of bitter regional rival China within the classification.
That crew had Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson as its naturalized participant and lots of aces taking part in abroad as a help solid.
It suffered shut shaves within the group stage as of us turned to social media to blast then coach Chot Reyes.
Tim’s candy revenge
Cone, for his half, additionally erased the stigma of a 1998 bronze medal end when he dealt with the extremely touted Centennial Crew that bowed out within the semifinals towards the Chinese language within the Beijing Video games.
He bought his candy revenge over the Chinese language in a “miracle” 77-76 win within the Last 4 simply two nights earlier than the place Brownlee erupted for 17 factors within the fourth quarter to gas a end like no different and arrange the rematch with the Jordanians.
That semifinal win made the Filipinos the villains within the progressive Chinese language metropolis, as followers booed each Brownlee possession and cheered each Gilas miss from the free-throw line even when the house nation performed within the bronze medal match towards Chinese language Taipei earlier.
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“It was our defensive changes, we defended them in a different way,” Brownlee answered when requested of what the important thing to the turnaround was in comparison with the group play loss. “It feels nice. I really feel so completely happy, not just for myself but in addition for the Philippines.“
Blissful for Tim, he avenged his loss in 1998. He got here right here to win the gold,” he went on. “I’m very completely happy for the folks again dwelling.”