There’s little to no room for error for Gilas as it takes on the powerhouse Latvia in its FIBA OQT opener.
Gilas Pilipinas’ quest for the coveted Paris Olympics berth formally begins on Thursday, July 4 in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia.
The Nationals, though, are confronted with a gargantuan right off the bat as they are set to take on the host country at 12 midnight (Philippine time) at the Arena Riga.
Led by Charlotte Hornets power forward Davis Bertans, the sixth-ranked team zoomed to a 83-55 opening dub against Georgia.
[RELATED STORY: FIBA OQT: Takeaways for Gilas Pilipinas in Latvia's blowout win vs Georgia]
The Filipino contingent is under no illusion its campaign is going to be easy even after a couple of competitive tune-up games where it held its own against Turkey and Poland.
“We were good against Turkey, we were better against Poland, but we have to be at our best from here on out,” Gilas team manager Richard del Rosario was quoted as saying in an article on the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) website.
Among the concerns the teams need to address is taking care of basketball after averaging over 39 turnovers in their friendlies against Turkey and Poland.
There’s little to no room for error for world no. 37 Gilas against Latvia, which nearly pulled the rug from under eventual champion Germany before settling for fifth place in the FIBA World Cup in Manila last year.
“We need to limit our turnovers and get locked in defensively. It’s not just about competing, it’s all about winning,” said the concurrent deputy coach.
[RELATED STORY: FIBA OQT: Tim Cone emphasizes must-have mindset for Gilas against Latvia, Georgia]
With Justin Brownlee, June Mar Fajardo, and Dwight Ramos leading the charge, Gilas is out to do just that in hopes of becoming the first team to make the Olympics since 1972.