MANILA, Philippines — Despite being a Gilas Pilipinas newcomer, Alex Cabagnot has flashed his veteran form in the Nationals’ performance at a closed-door FIBA World Cup qualifying game against Qatar.
“I’m not really into the destination, but our journey has begun,” Cabagnot, one of the newest faces in the new-look National squad alongside Scottie Thompson, said on Monday night.
“That’s not the only game,” he emphasized, adding he’d love to see more action with his brethren when the fifth window of the continental contest commences late November.
The 35-year-old sweet-shooting Cabagnot, who shot a forgettable 1-for-7 from deep against Iran in Tehran, finished the home game against Qatar with a team-best 16 points.
His playmaking, too, was in full display to the roughly 200 people in attendance at the Big Dome.
His performance was among the commendable individual stagings that night. Japeth Aguilar, who just returned from suspension, figured as another crucial cog in the Philippines’ blistering second half run that pulled the rug from under the Qataris.
Cabagnot said that they were just simply playing a unique style of basketball.
“You know we just had to play our brand — Team Pilipinas brand of basketball. So we pressured them, we created, we made the extra passes to our teammates. So God-willing, all those snippets — [they] worked out.
Cabagnot and Aguilars’ efforts mark a new dawn for Team Pilipinas’ campaign as well as a sort of momentum as they head deeper into the contest’s second round.
The Filipinos now enjoy a 5-3 record in Group F, just third behind the 6-2 Iranians, and the 7-1 Aussies. They will next face Kazakhstan at home on November 30.