Turkey gave Gilas Pilipinas a taste of top-notch competition ahead of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia.
Gilas Pilipinas team manager and first assistant coach Richard del Rosario is imposing some sense of urgency after the team dropped a 74-63 decision against Turkey on Friday, June 28.
With Brownlee leading the charge with 21 points and June Mar Fajardo churning out a 17-point, 11-rebound game, Gilas managed to keep in step with the home team all game long.
Their efforts proved futile proved futile.
Turkey ultimately gave Gilas a taste of the top-notch competition it will likely face in the upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, after converting 14 three-pointers on the way smashing victory before heading into the EuroBasket qualifiers.
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While Gilas showed resilience against a juggernaut opposition, it cannot settle for moral victories with the OQT unfurling on July 2 in Latvia.
“While others may see it as a satisfying first game, our team mindset is – almost is not enough,” Del Rosario was quoted as saying on Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ website.
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It’s hard to blame Del Rosario.
The Nationals now have one friendly left — against Poland — before plunging into action in the competition slated from July 2 to 7.
Gilas is bunched together in Group A with heavyweights Georgia and the host country, which finished fifth in the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila.
The top two teams in the group will proceed to the crossover semifinals. The lone victor in the tournament will earn a spot in the Paris Olympics next month.
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“We only have one shot at making it to the Olympics and we cannot be satisfied with almost winning,” he said.
“We move on to the next game with a firmer belief that we can hold our own against higher ranked teams with a real chance of reaching our mission of making it to Paris.”
Gilas eyes better showing when it faces Poland in another friendly on Sunday, June 30.
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