The learning process continues.
Not to sound like a broken record, but coach Chot Reyes has repeatedly emphasized that Gilas Pilipinas remains in the process of development in their current training camp in Europe.
While wins in their tune-up games are appreciated, the national team knows that developing good habits plus chemistry and addressing immediate concerns are the main focus just two months before the FIBA World Cup.
Gilas lost to Lithuania, 90-80, in their latest friendly game but Reyes is not dwelling on the losing aspect.
"Obviously, we’re not happy with the result but I’m very satisfied with the learning, the lessons that we continue to pick up," the Gilas tactician told One Sports' Carlo Pamintuan in a one-on-one interview.
Pamintuan pointed out that while Gilas fall to Lithuania, the Philippine team tallied their best assist-to-turnover ratio of 21:9.
The sports analyst then asked if this means that Gilas members are finally familiarizing with the offense. Reyes vaguely answered with "Yes and no."
"I think at the start we had some good looks that were not falling that’s why they were able to get to that early run," Reyes further explained.
"But also this team, unlike the previous team we played didn’t really pressure really hard on passing lanes. They defended a different way, which is also one of the things we need to learn, how to attack teams that defend this way, and I thought we were able to… offense wasn’t our problem in this ballgame."
The key, according to Reyes, is finding the balance.
"We’re going to have games like this where we’re scoring really well but we cannot stop the other team, we have to have that balance," he said.
"We have to find the balance where we’re scoring well and really defending well."