The key to Rio is a win over New Zealand

LL roads lead to the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City tomorrow as the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament ( OQT) begins. The hopes of a nation to return to the Summer Olympics after a 44-year hiatus rest on the shoulders of the Gilas Pilipinas men’s national team that prepared hard for this endeavor. But it will be a really tall order for the Nationals as only one nation from among France, Turkey, Canada, New Zealand, Senegal and the Philippines will get the ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil.

Only the winner of this tournament will qualify to Rio along with the winners of the OQT’s in Italy and Serbia for a total of three nations joining the other nine teams in the men’s basketball event. Already qualified are the United States, Brazil, Australia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Argentina, Spain, Lithuania and China.

Gilas went through a rigorous road to prepare for the OQT knowing that the competition will be extremely tough. National coach Tab Baldwin assembled a forceful unit from a pool of select pros and amateur standouts to battle the heavyweights from France and the rest of the participating countries. 6’11” former NBA campaigner Andray Blatche leads the charge for Gilas and hopes to repeat his remarkable performance in the 2014 FIBA World Cup. He will have a formidable support at the center and big forward positions with the muchimproved June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Marc Pringris, Troy Rosario and Ranidel Ocampo. The guard and small forward positions are solid as well with Jeff Chan, Ray Parks Jr., Terrence Romeo, Ryan Reyes, Gabe Norwood and Jayson Castro. These are the 12 men that will try to do the improbable – bring back the Philippines to the Olympic basketball map.

Can it be done? I’d say it’s possible but it would take a near perfect game to upset teams like France, Canada and Turkey. The key is to win over New Zealand on Wednesday, July 6. This would elevate Gilas to the semis, where they’re likely to face Canada or Turkey. If they get past the semis, anything is possible in the final and deciding game, especially at home grounds.

So let’s focus on New Zealand (NZ). The Tall Blacks are ranked 21st in the world as opposed to the Philippines’ 28th. They have averages of 6’5” in height and 25 years in age compared to Gilas’ 6’ 3” and 32 years. They finished a respectable 15th in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, where Gilas ended at 21st. Last year, they took second place honors in the FIBA Oceania Championship, after Australia.

NZ will be bannered by 6’6” for- ward Mika Vokona and 6’1 guard Corey Webster, both stars of the Super City Rangers in the National Basketball League in Australia. Webster led the Tall Blacks in scoring in Spain in 2014 with 13.7 points per game, while Vokona dominated the boards with 7.3 rebounds per game. 6’8” Isaac Fotu is a versatile forward who plays for CAI Zaragoza in the tough Spanish League, while 6’4” guard Tai Jack Webster and 6’10” center Michael Karena are regular starters in the U.S. NCAA Division 1 for University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Wright State University respectively. Ironically, NZ’s best finish in international competitions was at fourth spot in the 2002 FIBA World Cup, when Baldwin was its coach.

The Tall Blacks will be a mighty hurdle to overcome for Gilas. The home squad will need to play aggressive, smart and with a lot of heart to upend NZ. Gilas’ advantages will be in quickness and unpredictability. The transition game and dribble drive system can be effective weapons against the bigger Kiwis. Blatche must use his agility and skills to outplay NZ’s behemoths. And Gilas’ outside guns must be sharp on Wednesday in order to open up the interior defense for Blatche and Fajardo.

With the home crowd behind them and a little bit of luck, Gilas could enter the semis with an upset victory over NZ.

In the semis, Gilas’ experience in facing Turkey twice and seeing Canada play in a Bologna pocket tournament could come in handy.

As I said, in the championship game, even against France, anything is possible.

SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas headed by President and Chairman Manny Pangilinan together with Gilas Pilipinas encouraged the entire nation to support the national team when it competes in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament starting on Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Foreign basketball nations, headed by National Basketball Association (NBA)-laden France and Canada, Turkey, New Zealand and African nation Senegal, have already arrived for the Olympic qualifiers.

Only the champion team will earn a slot in the Rio Olympic scheduled on August 5 to 21 in Brazil.

Despite the mounting pressure, Pangilinan and several national players expressed determination and faith.

“We have to keep our faith in ourselves and with Gilas [Pilipinas national team], yes we can [qualify in Rio Olympics],” Pangilinan told The Manila Times over the weekend during interview. “Anxious and praying for the team. I always encourage them, so to my fellow Filipinos let’s support the team.”

Pangilinan added the SBP is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the country’s successful hosting of one of the three Olympic qualifiers to be simultaneously hosted by Serbia and Italy.

Overall, there are 18 countries in the three qualifying tournaments and only the champions of those three qualifiers will make it to Rio.

“We are doing our best to host the qualifiers in order to have a good track record in FIBA for future hosting of any basketball competitions,” he added.

Considered by all basketball fans and analysts as the most competitive team in the Philippine bracket, the French national team unleashed its roster headed by NBA players Tony Parker and Boris Diaw of San Antonio, Nicolas Batum of Charlotte and Joffrey Lauvergne of Denver.

EuroBasket Mythical Team awardee Nando De Colo, Antoine Diot, Mickael Gelabale, Thomas Heurtel, Charles Kahudi, Adrien Moerman, Florent Pietrus and Kim Tillie are the other members of world no. 5 France.

Canada will be parading NBA Toronto Raptors Corey Joseph, Milwaukee Bucks’ Tyler Ennis, Joel Anthony of Detroit Pistons and Tristan Thompson of NBA champion Cleveland along with Anthony Bennett, 7’5 center Sim Bhullar of Raptors, 6’10 forward-center Levon Kendall, Dillon Brooks, and 6’10 shot- blocking specialist Chris Boucher, among others.

Veteran national campaigner Jean Marc Pingris and 6’10 center June Mar Fajardo said they are not intimidated and bothered, as they believe anything can happen.

“[anything can happen] and we all believe we can reach the Olympics this August,” Pingris said in separate interview. “Everybody is working hard and I’m very sure our fellow Filipinos will always be there to support us.”

“I believe we can do it [winning the title in the qualifier and reaching the Olympics],” said Fajardo of San Miguel Beer. “We’re doing a lot of drills so far and we’re focusing on our defense. I’m excited to play. We are not intimidated by any team.”