GILAS PILIPINAS — FIBA.BASKETBALL

Games on Tuesday
(King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah)
11 a.m. (4 p.m. Manila time) – New Zealand vs Iraq
9 p.m. (2 a.m. Wednesday Manila time) – Chinese-Taipei vs Philippines

FOR the Gilas Pilipinas mainstays, the stunning away loss to Chinese-Taipei in the FIBA Asia Cup (AC) Qualifiers back in February still stings.

And so this will certainly add to the fire when the Nationals take their shot at payback against the souped-up Taiwanese in the Asia Cup proper in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“Everyone knows we lost to Taipei last time and we’re going to be hungry to get that one back,” Gilas guard Chris Newsome said on One Sports ahead of the Group D opening salvo set for 9 p.m. Tuesday at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (2 a.m. Wednesday Manila time).

The said 91-84 ambush in Taipei stained the Filipinos’ spotless mark of 4-0 at that time and also marked the Taiwanese’s first W against the Philippines since 2013.

Led by Justin Brownlee, all the Gilas players from that painful road defeat are back for the revenge mission, which if successful, will set the right tone for their quest for Continental honors.

The major contributors from that upset are also set for action for Chinese-Taipei like Brandon Gilbeck, Mohammad Al Bachir and Lin Ting-Chien. And then the Taiwanese injected extra firepower with the addition of Adam Hinton of Cornell University and his brother Robert of Harvard.

“Taiwan beat us the last time we played them and they added two young (US NCAA) Division 1 players in the Hinton brothers and those guys are making an impact on that team,” said coach Tim Cone of their opponent.

“So they definitely have the personnel. It wasn’t a fluke that they beat us and so we have to be really prepared for them.”

While Gilas played a pair of tuneup games, beating the Macau Black Bears in Manila, 103-98, and Jordan in a closed-door setup in Jeddah, 75-61, the Taiwanese warmed up for the AC with its stint in the Jones Cup where they finished second to Strong Group.

“They (Taiwanese) played six or seven games and they actually dominated the Jones Cup. They lost to Strong. And that’s the only game Taiwan lost,” Mr. Cone noted.

The other Group D opening-day slate, meanwhile, pits favorite New Zealand against Iraq in a Tuesday morning duel. — Olmin Leyba

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