Gilas Pilipinas will next face Brazil in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament crossover semifinals.
Not today.
This was probably what Tim Cone and the rest of Gilas Pilipinas told airline officers after their semifinal-clinching 94-96 loss to Georgia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the Arena Riga on Thursday, July 4.
The Nationals had to cancel their supposed flight back home originally set on July 5 after scoring two huge upsets that paved the way for their surprise entry to the penultimate round.
Gilas Pilipinas first shocked world No. 6 Latvia, 89-80, then rallied from an early 20-point hole against 23rd-ranked Georgia to secure the needed margin to advance despite a 94-96 loss.
Gilas finished with a superior quotient over Georgia, with the latter needing to win by 19 or more points to secure its own spot.
“We have our tickets to leave tomorrow (July 5). We already bought our tickets to leave tomorrow. So I guess, we’re going to have to move them back a little bit,” said Cone during the post-game presser.
“That's how surprised we are to be here and talking to you guys. It’s the first time I’ve felt good about losing.”
Cone later heaped praise on his wards after their fightback against Georgia where they bucked the loss of Kai Sotto who hurt his rib in the second period.
“Just really want to compliment our guys. They went down 20, we could have been easy panic time. [Instead,] they worked their way back to the game,” said Cone.
Meanwhile, Sotto's X-rays and scans turned out negative for fracture, but the 22-year-old stalwart's participation in Gilas's semifinal clash against Brazil is listed as a game-time decision, according to team manager Richard del Rosario.
"Kai Sotto’s x-rays and scans are negative for a fracture according to Gilas manager @charddelrosario. Sotto, though, still has soreness and is classified as a game time decision," reported Paolo del Rosario for One Sports.
Gilas would like to continue rewriting history in the tournament, where it gave the Philippines its first win against a European team in 64 years. Before Latvia, the country beat Spain, 84-82, in the 1960 Olympics.
It also marked the first time for the Nationals to score a victory in the OQT since 2016.
A possible first Olympic appearance for the Philippine basketball team in 52 years could be added to their list. Filipino ballers last qualified in the 1972 Munich Games.