Blatche can only get better

CHANGSHA – With the nightmarish loss to Palestine a bitter wake-up call, Gilas expects to bounce back and regain its bearings at the 28th FIBA Asia Championships here but it will take a monster effort from naturalized player Andray Blatche to lead the charge.

Blatche, 29, finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds in the Philippines’ 75-73 setback to Palestine last Wednesday but was far from the form that he displayed in taking the Most Efficient Player award at the FIBA World Cup in Spain last year. He shot 39 percent from the field and knocked down only 1-of-7 triples in 27:43 minutes. Blatche was a factor only in the first period which ended with Gilas on top, 27-12. Then, it was all downhill.

While Gilas coach Tab Baldwin rotated 12 men, only seven players saw action for Palestine with Jamal Abu Shamala, Imad Qawash and Sani Sakakini going the full route. Shamala had 26 points, Qahwash 17 and Sakakini 22.

It was Palestine’s first game ever at the FIBA Asia Championships. At the Asian Games in Incheon last year, Palestine finished 15th of 16, outranking only Maldives, and posted a 0-3 record, losing to India, 89-49, Kazakhstan, 72-50 and Saudi Arabia, 89-71. The Philippines wound up seventh. Sakakini averaged 24.3 points and 13.3 rebounds in the three contests.

At the recent West Asia Basketball Association (WABA) Championships, Palestine ended up third behind Lebanon and Jordan after beating Syria, 79-73, and Iraq, 70-62. Palestine was trounced by Lebanon, 88-79, and Jordan, 92-76, but the third place finish was enough to book a ticket to its first FIBA Asia tournament.

Shamala, 28, averaged 11 points at the Asian Games. A four-year University of Minnesota varsity player, he played in the NBA D-League, Mexico and Jordan before landing in Palestine. Qahwash, who lives in Canada, played at Joe Dumars’ alma mater McNeese State and Central Arkansas which produced Scottie Pippen. He was tapped by Blackwater to play as an Asian import in the PBA Governors Cup last season but failed to obtain his FIBA release on time. Sakakini, 26, is a Chinese league veteran who was the top scorer at the WABA Championships, scoring 35 against Iraq, 39 against Syria and 29 against Lebanon.

For Blatche, losing to Palestine was a humbling experience. He was dominant in the Chinese league last season but hadn’t played organized basketball in over six months. Overweight by about 20 pounds when he arrived in Manila to start Gilas practice last month, Blatche is slowly but surely working back to game shape.

Blatche’s high school buddy Bryan Extra, who is with him here, said the nine-year NBA veteran is motivated to play his best for Gilas. “He’s definitely excited,” said Extra. “It was the longest he’d been in the Philippines and he really enjoyed his stay. What he’s concerned about is his mom who’s undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Every day, he’s on the phone with her, reassuring her, making sure she’s okay. When his uncle passed away, Dray had to go back to the US and console his mom because it was his uncle who took care of his mom while he was away playing in China. Dray felt he owed it to his uncle to attend his funeral. That’s why he couldn’t play at the Jones Cup.”

Extra said he expects good things to happen here particularly as the tournament unfolds with Blatche working back into shape. “Dray has gained a lot of international experience playing in Spain and China,” he said. “That experience will go a long way in making him tougher for the FIBA Asia Championships. He’s now more prepared than ever to play international basketball. And he loves the Filipino people and the fans. He’s proud to be playing for them and the country.”

Extra said Blatche has connected with his new teammates, particularly Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo. “Calvin’s an incredible player,” said Extra. “If he’s 6-5, he’d be playing in the NBA And Terrence, he’s my man. Dray couldn’t be happier with the Gilas situation right now.”