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MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas needs all the help it can get, especially from its legion of fans.
Head coach Chot Reyes banks on the “sixth man” to make a difference as the Philippines tries to pull off an upset against Dominican Republic to begin its FIBA World Cup campaign on Friday, August 25, at the Philippine Arena.
“It is really hard to say if we have the goods, if we have the team that can compete with these guys until we see the actual game. One thing is for sure, we will need the support and the prayers of the crowd,” Reyes said.
“We have to be able to punch above our weight and I think the crowd will be a big determining factor.”
Ranked No. 40 in the world, the Filipinos face an uphill climb against the No. 23 Dominicans, who have only gotten more dangerous with the addition of Minnesota Timberwolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
With Towns on board, Dominican Republic gave its Group A foes a glimpse of the damage it is capable of inflicting, beating world No. 15 Canada and then pushing defending champion Spain to the limit in its last two tune-up matches.
Reyes hopes the fans who will watch at the 55,000-seater in Bulacan can even things out for Gilas Pilipinas.
The Philippines-Dominican Republic clash is tipped to break the FIBA attendance record of 32,616 set during the 1994 World Cup title duel in Toronto, Canada, where USA ripped Russia to shreds for the crown.
“Right now, the players are in high spirits, and hopefully, with the help of the home crowd, with the help of the sixth man, we can compete very well against these tough teams in our bracket,” said Reyes.
Gilas Pilipinas will also enjoy homecourt advantage for the rest of its Group A games as it battles Angola and Italy on August 27 and 29, respectively, at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com
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