Romeo, Abueva lighten Castro's burden

MANILA, Philippines -- Veteran Gilas Pilipinas guard Jayson Castro admitted that’s Sunday’s tournament-opening win over a tough Chinese-Taipei Blue side was huge to the team’s morale in the absence of naturalized player Andray Blatche.

But the speedy combo guard said the national squad has still a long way to go in its preparation for the Fiba-Asia men’s championship set next month, a tournament that serves as a qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“Yung win kagabi sa Chinese Taipei, malaki talaga (on the confidence of Gilas), pero we still have to do some adjustments on defense saka yung sa composure na rin ng team,” Castro told Philstar.com on Monday, just hours before the Filipinos’ keenly-awaited match against South Korea in Day Three of the William Jones Cup in Taiwan.

The 5-foot-7 guard said Gilas still has to learn to play solid defense, citing the team’s third-quarter breakdown that allowed Chinese Taipei to tie the game entering the last quarter.

“Yung toughness naman nandun pero yung tactical defense, especially sa perimeter, minsan nawawala pa tayo, so kailangan lang ng adjustment pa dun,” he added.

The ‘Blur’ though was happy to have first-time national players Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva in the team, saying both youngsters provided the energy and instant offense just at the right time.

“Yung dalawa kasi, nadadala nila yung team dahil sa energy nila,” noted the 29-year-old former standout from Philippine Christian University.

The 5-foot-10 Romeo stamped his class in the Asian arena by firing 18 points, including several dazzling drive to the basket that enabled Gilas to pull away against Chinese Taipei late in the last quarter.

“Si Terrence, very creative siya sa offense, dahil na rin sa one-on-one moves niya, kaya mas less pressure na sa amin,” added Castro.

On the other hand, the undersized Abueva banged in 15 points in just 14 minutes of action.

Castro hopes Gilas could build on its eight-point win over the Taiwanese when it faces the dreaded Koreans at 5 p.m., in a rematch between the two semifinalists of the 2013 Fiba-Asia men’s championships in Manila.

Gilas nosed out South Korea, 86-79 in the 2013 edition to punch a ticket to the Fiba World Cup and ending the country’s 40-year absence.