By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter
PREPARATION, or lack thereof, may be an issue for the Philippine national men’s basketball team competing in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia beginning this week, but it is not going to use it as an excuse not to go out and give its all in the quadrennial Games and make the country proud.
Plunging into action a little over a week after it was “reactivated” following the reconsideration by local sports officials to send a squad after all to the Asiad, the Philippine Basketball Association-backed men’s hoops team said it is going to the Games not only as mere participants but to compete and go for a podium finish, something the country has not done since 1998.
Handled by NLEX coach Yeng Guiao, the national team is composed of the core of Rain or Shine in the PBA, souped up by players from the other teams in the league.
Making up the Smart Communications, Inc.-supported team are Maverick Ahanmisi, Chris Tiu, Gabe Norwood, James Yap, Beau Belga and Raymond Almazan of Rain or Shine, backstopped by Christian Standhardinger (San Miguel), Stanley Pringle (NorthPort), JP Erram (Blackwater), Paul Lee (Magnolia), Don Trollano (TNT), and Asi Taulava (NLEX).
Filipino-American National Basketball Association player Jordan Clarkson was tried to be fielded in by local sports officials but was not given the go-ahead by the NBA.
Despite the circumstances they are in heading into the Games, the nationals were in high spirits when they left for Indonesia early this week, bringing with them hopes of finishing better than the seventh-place showing the country had in the previous edition of the Games.
“I think we are doing well in practice. We’re progressing well compared with the early days of training. The players who have joined us have high basketball IQ. They pick up the plays really quickly,” said Mr. Tiu in one of their practices before flying out of the country.
“The challenge is executing in a real game, against bigger opponents like in the Asian Games. It’s different when playing against each other and executing in practice. But during the game it is going to be different. Not having tune-up games will be a disadvantage for us. But we’ll just see. We are not going to offer excuses. Will do everything we can to prepare as hard as we can,” added Mr. Tiu, one of the original members of the Gilas Pilipinas basketball program.
Such “taking up the challenge” mentality is shared by veteran Taulava , who is making his third tour of duty for the national team.
Mr. Taulava said a longer preparation would have been ideal but if they put their minds and hearts to the task at hand they could make things happen at the Asiad.
“If your heart is into it, it’s going to be easy. You’re not just playing for yourself. You’re not just playing for your family. You are playing for this whole nation. We are going to try to come home with a medal and hopefully it’s gold,” Mr. Taulava said.
Originally shelved as the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas felt “the time and chance to participate in the 2018 Asian Games would not be optimal,” the federation reconsidered its decision, citing primarily the huge clamor from local basketball fans to have a team compete in the Games.
The interval in between decisions, however, left the national team with lesser time to assemble and prepare.
The Philippines faces Kazakhstan in Group D in its first game on Thursday, Aug. 16, at 10 a.m. at the Istora Gelora Bung Kamo in Jakarta.

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