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Gilas Pilipinas members have a good time with their gold medals after defeating Jordan of their males’s basketball gold medal on the nineteenth Asian Video games in Hangzhou, China, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. REUTERS/Marko Djurica
Just a little over a month faraway from a lackluster World Cup marketing campaign and a few 1,700 kilometers away from house, Gilas Pilipinas lastly discovered a cause to have a good time.
The Nationals, rapidly assembled and despatched to a protracted and arduous route within the nineteenth Asian Video games (Asiad), saved their finest for final on Friday night time and thumped Jordan, 70-60, to seize the nation’s first basketball gold in over six a long time.
“Our guys had been simply actually disciplined tonight,” nationwide coach Tim Cone advised reporters earlier than hurrying in direction of the workforce dugout at Hangzhou Olympic Centre Gymnasium in China to affix within the revelry after a marketing campaign that might be talked about for ages.
“It was only a good sport by us tonight and so they (Jordan) had an off capturing night time,” he went on.
That “good sport” was constructed on one more big night time by Justin Brownlee, who completed with 20 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, and the well timed breakout outings of Ange Kouame and Chris Newsome, who chipped in 14 and 13 factors, respectively.
Gilas was simply as commendable on protection, holding the erstwhile unbeaten Falcons to only 26-percent capturing from the sector—their worst within the continental showcase that got here at a time after they had been additionally capturing for his or her first cage gold.
“I believe we did a great job recovering (Sami) Bzai, not letting him get lots of seems, and that was one of many keys,” Cone stated.
First since Loyzaga time
Gilas Pilipinas gamers carry their head coach Tim Cone following their win over Jordan within the males’s basketball gold medal match on the nineteenth Asian Video games in Hangzhou, China, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (AP Picture/Lee Jin-man)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson virtually wanted to bleed for his 24 factors to steer Jordan, which bamboozled the Philippines by 25 factors in group play final week. However with simply Freddy Ibrahim the one different participant ending in twin digits, the Falcons settled for a bridesmaid end.
“I do know it’s no gold for Jordan. It could’ve been their first. Good for each of us,” Cone stated with a smirk.
Scottie Thompson had 11 factors, 5 rebounds and three assists within the triumph that gave the nation its first Asiad basketball gold since late Fiba Corridor of Famer Carlos Loyzaga and his crew did it in Jakarta, Indonesia, again in 1962.
General, the Philippines now has 5 basketball titles.
However what actually makes this victory even sweeter was the way in which it was solid: via sacrifice.
Cone was appointed coach on Sept. 7, simply 19 days earlier than the match (See pregame story in Sports activities, Web page A10). Half of the gamers additionally got here late, prompting pundits and this basketball-crazed nation’s followers to put in writing off this very squad even earlier than its first sport.
Vindication
However maybe, CJ Perez stated it finest on his technique to the workforce’s celebrations.
“Nakabakasyon na, nanalo pa!” (We gained whereas virtually on trip.)
Friday night time’s feat was additionally a vindication in lots of methods for a program that was maligned after a dismal World Cup marketing campaign that noticed a special bunch of Nationals win only one sport, a 20-point destruction of bitter regional rival China within the classification.
That workforce had Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson as its naturalized participant and lots of aces taking part in abroad as a help solid.
It suffered shut shaves within the group stage as of us turned to social media to blast then coach Chot Reyes.
Tim’s candy revenge
Cone, for his half, additionally erased the stigma of a 1998 bronze medal end when he dealt with the extremely touted Centennial Workforce that bowed out within the semifinals in opposition to the Chinese language within the Beijing Video games.
He bought his candy revenge over the Chinese in a “miracle” 77-76 win within the Closing 4 simply two nights earlier than the place Brownlee erupted for 17 factors within the fourth quarter to gasoline a end like no different and arrange the rematch with the Jordanians.
That semifinal win made the Filipinos the villains within the progressive Chinese language metropolis, as followers booed each Brownlee possession and cheered each Gilas miss from the free-throw line even when the house nation performed within the bronze medal match in opposition to Chinese language Taipei earlier.
“It was our defensive changes, we defended them in a different way,” Brownlee answered when requested of what the important thing to the turnaround was in comparison with the group play loss. “It feels nice. I really feel so completely happy, not just for myself but additionally for the Philippines.“
Completely happy for Tim, he avenged his loss in 1998. He got here right here to win the gold,” he went on. “I’m very completely happy for the folks again house.”
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