CHEMISTRY proved to be the big difference as Gilas Pilipinas survived the challenge of Thailand.
Veteran Southeast Asia Games campaigner Kiefer Ravena made this observation after the squad made a successful debut with an 81-74 win at the start of the men’s basketball tournament at the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
“It helps. It should help. Isang tinginan lang alam na kung mali ang ginagawa nung isa, or kung mainit si ganoon, at dapat sabihing ituloy mo iyan,” said Ravena, who is now on his fourth SEA games stint.
Gilas Pilipinas shoots for its second victory in the men’s basketball competition against Myanmar today Tuesday at the MABA Stadium.
In the opener, Bobby Ray Parks scored 14 points.
The 6’3” Parks, who is son of late PBA great Bobby Parks, had the big task of guarding vaunted Thai-American Tyler Lamb.
Lamb had 17 points and six rebounds but shot 6-of-17 from the field before he fouled out in the fourth period.
Christian Standhardinger and Carl Bryan Cruz were late reinforcements for the Gilas Cadets.
They left the senior Gilas squad in Beirut, Lebanon to be in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the Cadets.
The Gilas Cadets are getting ready to meet Myanmar and Malaysia in their next games.
Both Standhardinger and Cruz were named as part of Gilas Cadets’ final 12-man roster for the SEA Games.
Philippine officials however are working on the papers to have Mac Belo replace Cruz who has an MCL injury.