Fearless Gilas goes all out vs Argentina

SEVILLE, Spain – For the Filipino basketball fans, Gilas Pilipinas’ match against world No. 3 Argentina should be the biggest thrill.

The Gilas players themselves admire Team Argentina, a one-time world championship winner and one-time Olympic champ.

The admiration ends there.

The Filipinos are determined to come out and prove that they really belong as they tangle with the Argentines in their third game in Group B competition of the 2014 FIBA World Cup at Centro Deportivo San Pablo here Monday (early Tuesday morning in Manila).

Their riveting performance against Croatia Saturday could well be their message to the best of the world: “We’re not daunted. We’re not awed.”

And barely coming up short against the Croats, the Nationals should be more confident and relax in playing their next assignments.

“We’ll be better,” Gilas veteran playmaker Jimmy Alapag declared.

“One thing about it (the close loss to Croatia) is that we are confident now. We now know that we belong and we can keep our heads up,” said naturalized player Andray Blatche.

 The downside is that the other teams would surely give Gilas Pilipinas a more serious look now.

“Coming in here, a lot of people doubted us and saw us as an easy match,” said Blatche.

That’s not really the case actually.

For instance, Dominican Republic assistant coach Bill Bayno, who used to call the shots for Talk n Text in the PBA, believes Gilas will have a good shot at Argentina.

Sharing his thoughts to former assistant Mike Advani, Bayno also thinks Gilas beating Senegal “is a given.”

Bayno saw Gilas Pilipinas up close in their tune-up match in Guadalajara.

Also an assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors in the NBA, Bayno is familiar with both the Philippines and the Argentines, a FIBA American team like Dominican Republic.

Bayno said Argentina, the 2004 Olympic champion, is not as tough as it used to be, being in transition period with several new players. 

In the 2013 FIBA Americas in Caracas, Venezuela, the Dominicans ripped the Argentines, 91-72, in their second-round meeting but the latter got back at the former, 103-93, in their bronze-medal tiff.

The Argentines themselves admit they have lost considerable strength with the absence of top guns Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino.

“I think with Ginobili, Delfino and the complete team, we expect to fight for third place. Right now, I don’t think we have enough potential in the team to think (to be) in the Top Four,” said star point guard Pablo Prigioni.

“Well, the golden generation is a couple of guys. We’re almost done. We have so many new guys, so many young players,” Prigioni also said, pointing to Matias Bortolin, Facundo Campazzo, Marcos Delia and Tayavek Gallizzi -- all 23 years and under.

“They have to jump on the court and do their best because they’re coming here to play and not sit on the bench. If Ginobili and Delfino are here, maybe some of the young guys play fewer minutes. But without them they have to jump on the court, play important minutes and play the best basketball that they can,” said Prigioni.

Luis Scola came through with 20 points and nine rebounds while Andres Nocioni and Prigioni added 11 and 10 markers, respectively, as Argentina ripped Puerto Rico, 98-75, on opening day.