Puso!

Decorated NBA coach Rudy Tomjanovich once said, “Never underestimate the heart of a champion. "

At 6:00 tonight, Gilas Pilipinas, the country’s national basketball team, will play with their hearts out as they embark on a journey that has evaded the Philippines for past 34 years – the FIBA World Cup. The last time the country competed in the prestigious event was in 1978, placing eighth overall. The Pinoys also delighted in a fifth-place finish in the 1936 Summer Olympic.  The Philippines’ brightest moment, however, was winning bronze medal in the 1954 World Basketball Championships in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. It was the best finish by any team outside the Americas and Europe.

Team Gilas has a famous battlecry, Laban Pilipinas! Puso!", meaning heart.  This is the first time I have seen a team that played hard and would willing to exchange faces with their opponent. During the last FIBA Asia held in Manila, I watched that historic moment and was in tears when they triumphed over South Korea.

In the 2014 FIBA World Cup, Gilas is grouped with the heavyweights  like Argentina, Greece, Croatia, Puerto Rico and Senegal. With this groupings, the chances of making it to the next round looks slim but in terms of individual talent, Gilas is a forced to reckon with. In basketball, height is still the proverbial might. Gilas can make this up with hard work and relentless defense. But qualifying to the  2014 FIBA World Cup is already a winning moment in the history books for Philippine Basketball.

Here are some key factors that would help Gilas make a successful run against the world’s basketball titans.

Defense : Team Gilas must pressure the ball handlers of their opponents. At the low post game, we will have a hard time against their bigger and taller foes. Gilas can always opt to double team but defense should be quick to respond on switching on open player under the basket.

Speed: For me, setting up for a half-court offense is difficult and would enable the opponent to set up their defense. The only inside threat for Gilas is Andrey Blatche. Gilas is fond of using a two-guard set up. It will make our team really short but it will be fast. I would suggest a run and gun game but before we can run, we must get the rebound and play good defense.

Outside shooting: 3-point will be our main weapon. It will open up their defense.  But if our outside shooting fails, it will harder for us to score inside. Like the game versus Korea in the FIBA Asia Championship, everybody was shooting from Tenorio, Castro,  Jimmy Alapag, Jeff Chan and even Ranidel de Ocampo.

Foul trouble: Big men Blatche, Pingris,  Fajardo and Aguilar must avoid getting early foul trouble.

Injury: When Marcus Dauthit was injured during the FIBA ASIA Championship, our local boys stepped up bigtime especially Marc Pingris, who was playing hurt during that time. But against European teams, our local boys will have a tough time against bigger and bulkier player.

I was following the national team since  1980’s I have watched the team that was formed by tycoon Danding Conjuangco , who made a core players composed of four naturalized players.  Sweet shooting Chip England, Guard Jeff Moore, Center Dennis Still and Ricardo Brown with a supporting cast led by Samboy Lim, Hector Calma,  Franz Pumaren, Yves Dignadice,  Allan Caidic,  Alfie Almario, Teddy Alfarero,  Elmer Reyes, Tonichi Yturri, Pido Jarencio, Jerry Cordinera, Rey Cuenco to name a few.  When our pro basketball players were allowed to play in 1990 Asian Games, they  finished with a silver medal.  ‘El Presidente’ Ramon Fernandez led the team along with Alvin Patrimonio, Dante Gonzalgo, Zaldy Realubit, Rey Cuenco, Ronnie Magsanoc, Benjie Paras, Chito Loyzaga, Allan Caidic, Samboy Lim and was coached by Robert Jaworski. It was a downward spiral from that point on.

The team was known as the "Philippine Centennial Team", then "Team Pilipinas" from 2005 to 2007, the team was sponsored by San Miguel Corporation and named "San Miguel-Team Pilipinas". In 2009, the team was sponsored by Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. and named "Powerade-Team Pilipinas".  This time, PLDT took over sole sponsorship of the national team beginning in 2010, they used the Smart Communications to banner the developmental team that would be called "Smart Gilas." "Gilas" is a Tagalog word that translates into English as "elegance" or "gallantry".

Team Gilas recruited, a pool of amateur players who were to train together and compete as a team backed by Manny  V. Pangilinan. Leading the players were Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca,  J.V. Casio, Japeth Aguilar,  Chris Lutz, Greg Slaughter, Marcio Lassiter , Naturalized player Marcus Dauthit and was coached by Rajko Toroman.

Team Gilas is now lead by Naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche, main stay Jimmy Alapag, La Tenorio, Jeff Chan, Jayson Castro, Gary David, Raniel De Ocampo, Gabe Norwood, Cebuano Junmar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Marc Pingris aka “Pinoy Sakuragi”, new recruit Paul Lee and coached by Chot Reyes.

Good luck to Team Gilas and tonight, to the top of our lungs, let’s all cheer "Laban Pilipinas!PUSO!"