Chot’s ‘what if’ RDO game

Reflecting on the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, former Gilas coach Chot Reyes couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve been the outcome if Ranidel de Ocampo was on the court for the last play in the Philippines’ game against powerhouse Argentina.

RDO, who announced his retirement from active playing last Monday, went down with cramps in the final few minutes after torching Argentina for 18 points, including 4-of-8 threes. The Philippines went up thrice by 10 in the first period and battled back from a 15-point deficit in the third to trim the lead to only two, 83-81, with less than 20 ticks left and Gilas in possession. Reyes called time to map out the final do-or-die play that called for Jimmy Alapag to get the inbound and go for the three-point winner. De Ocampo couldn’t check back in because he was all cramped up.

“Ibabalik namin sana si Del even for our last possession, pero talagang hindi kaya,” said Reyes, quoted by The STAR sports editor Nelson Beltran. Alapag scored all his 15 points in the last 11 minutes so he was the clear choice to take the last shot. Argentine coach Julio Lamas figured Alapag would come off a screen to take the inbound pass so he designated Facundo Campazzo to deny the reception, leaving Jayson Castro with the ball.

Argentina’s 6-9 Marcos Mata switched on the much smaller Castro who elevated for the shot, was bothered, dropped the ball then picked it up. The call was traveling with 12.7 ticks remaining and Argentina closed out the scoring with two free throws from Andres Nocioni, one of four NBA veterans in Lamas’ lineup and a holdover from the team that won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Argentina won, 85-81 and Lamas later admitted it was the most uncomfortable game he’d ever coached with the national squad. Point guard Pablo Prigioni, another NBA veteran in Lamas’ roster, said he couldn’t figure out Reyes’ unconventional style from start to finish and Argentina was lucky to nail the win.

Castro’s hotel roommate in Spain L. A. Tenorio said the Blur couldn’t sleep that night and RDO went out walking with him the next morning to keep his mind out of it. “Broken play, not Jayson’s fault,” said Tenorio. “Jimmy was supposed to get the inbound but was denied by Campazzo who was brought in for defense on the play. Jayson went for the win. I told him forget it, he’ll be a better player because of the experience.” Sure enough, at the 2015 FIBA Asia Cup in Changsha, Castro retained his title as Asia’s No. 1 point guard for leading Gilas back to the final.

“Del loved playing for Gilas,” said Reyes in a text to The STAR. “Hard to forget his performance against Argentina in the 2014 Worlds. Who knows, the result may have been different if he was on the floor for that final play. Unfortunately, his whole body cramped up, being guarded by NBA vets (Luis) Scola and (Walter) Hermann the whole game that he physically couldn’t even stand up, much less play in the end.”

Scola, Hermann, Nocioni and Prigioni were the NBA veterans in Argentina’s roster. The holdovers from the 2004 Olympic gold medal squad were Scola, Hermann, Nocioni and Leo Gutierrez. Scola led Argentina in scoring against Gilas with 19 points. Mata had 17, Hermann 10 and Nicolas Laprovittola 10. For the Philippines, Andray Blatche fired 26.

If Argentina lost, the Philippines would’ve made it to the next round in Spain. Hypothetically, a win would’ve put Gilas in a triple tie for third in Group B with Argentina and Senegal assuming the same results until the end of the eliminations. Argentina, Senegal and the Philippines would’ve finished with identical 2-3 records. In the actual final standings, Argentina had a +49 factor with a 3-2 record, Senegal -51 at 2-3 and the Philippines -21 at 1-4. So if Gilas had’ve beaten Argentina, a triple tie would’ve advanced Argentina and the Philippines to the second round, leaving out Senegal.

Still, Reyes had no regrets. The Philippines returned home with a win over Senegal, the country’s first victory in the FIBA World Cup in 40 years. “Easily, Del was one of the most dedicated players I’ve had the opportunity to coach,” he said. “Two words describe him best, ‘perfect teammate.’”