Man down for Gilas early.
Gilas Pilipinas opened up its Southeast Asian Games campaign with a masterful victory, routing Malaysia 94-49 on Tuesday at the Elephant Hall 2 of the Morodok Techo Stadium in Cambodia.
That doesn’t mean that the national team had a smooth-sailing game.
Coach Chot Reyes, who already complained about the basketball flooring in one of the facilities, lamented that Gilas had to play an official game in a subpar court.
“It’s really dangerous. Right in the middle of the play, players are just going to be slipping. It’s really not ideal circumstance,” Reyes told reporters after the win against Malaysia on Tuesday.
“Sa totoo lang, we shouldn’t be playing on a surface like this. I really do not understand why the organizers allowed this situation. Kung sa atin sa Pilipinas ito, hindi tayo maglalaro rito eh,” the veteran tactician added.
It’s easy to understand Reyes’ frustration, especially because he already has one casualty.
The five-time PBA Coach of the Year said that Calvin Oftana, who started the game against Malaysia, suffered a calf strain in the first half, prompting the coaching staff to keep the TNT Tropang Giga swingman on the bench for the entirety of the second half.
“There was one play where he slipped, and wala naman at first, but later on naramdaman na niya,” said Reyes. “I hope it’s nothing serious, but with calf strains, you never know.”
Curiously, a calf strain sidelined former Gilas mainstay and TNT big man Kelly Williams for nearly a month. It was also a calf strain that kept Gilas cadet and former De La Salle Green Archer Schonny Winston out of commission for the entire second round of the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament.
But whether Oftana will be able to suit up in the next game or not, Reyes made a plea to SEA Games organizers in Phnom Penh to correct the situation, as it could mean serious injuries to more players—the kind that could very well threaten hoops careers.
“I’m appealing to our authorities to do something about it because we’re putting the careers of our players at risk, just to be very honest.”
Gilas will next face host Cambodia on Thursday, also in Elephant Hall 2 of the Morodok Techo Stadium. Coach Chot sure hopes they play in better conditions by then.
(With reports from Carlo Pamintuan, One Sports)
(GM)