The Philippine contingent showed a lot of positives in their tune-up match against the Estonians.
On Wednesday, Gilas Pilipinas took on Estonia in Tallinn as part of its final preps for the FIBA World Cup. The final score was 81-71 in favor of the home team. While a win would’ve been great, the Filipino side was able to show several things that it could definitely build on moving forward. One of which, is resilience.
Gilas’ proverbial PUSO was on full display during the tune-up match as it gave Estonia a scare after trailing by as much as 22 points. Japan B.League star Dwight Ramos led the way for the Philippines scoring a team-high 16 points. Other notable stats coming from Gilas’ box score was June Mar Fajardo’s 9 rebounds. The 6-time PBA MVP is coming off a knee injury, and it was pleasant sight for Fajardo’s fans to see him hold his own against a formidable Estonian frontcourt.
All in all, it was a good first step for Gilas in its final buildup for FIBA’s flagship event. Many Pinoy hoop fans agree with such observation like Twitter user @memram22.
“Not bad, just keep on improving,” he posted.
While the effort was commendable, Gilas’ fans had point out specific things that their team needs to work on. Gilas supporter Noel Ducay acknowledged the improvement but also mentioned one of his squad’s glaring weaknesses.
“The turnovers. At least 1 for every Gilas player. Let’s keep improving,” he stressed.
For @madlagelo and @TrickorTwitts, it’s the three-point shot that Gilas really needs to develop. The former wanted to see Gilas chuck it up some more, while the latter wants all the players to become adept at hitting the long ball.
While they’re asking for more, the fans seem to recognize the moral victory in Gilas’ loss to Estonia. For sure, they are all excited to see how it will all turn out tomorrow as Chot Reyes and his wards square off against Finland.