Dellavedova wary of ‘quick’ Gilas
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 10: Matthew Dellavedova #8 of Australia handles the ball during the Men's Preliminary Round Group A between Australia and the United States on Day 5 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1 on August 10, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) It’s going to be a dogfight as Gilas Pilipinas clashes with Australia in the third window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier on Monday at the Philippine Arena.
Australia’s point guard Matthew Dellavedova said facing the Filipinos would not be a walk in the park due to their quickness, shooting and homecourt advantage.
The battle between the Filipinos and the Australians will be very crucial.
With the Philippines pulling off a masterful 91-73 conquest of Chinese Taipei, the Australians are pressured to deliver a win that would not only bury their bitter 78-79 setback to Japan, but would also give them the top spot in Group B.
To make sure that the goal will be achieved, the Boomers recruited the 6-foot-4 Dellavedova and 7-foot-1 Thon Maker from the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, making them a solid force to be reckoned with in this prestigious tourney that serves the gateway to the FIBA World Cup in China next year.
Dellavedova said he’s looking forward to an intense battle.
“It’s going to be an awesome experience for everyone,” Dellavedova told ESPN.
“I went there last year and it was a lot of fun. They love basketball in the Philippines and get really into it.”
Gilas Pilipinas will be marching to the crucial match against the Boomers oozing with momentum.
June Mar Fajardo is at his best after scoring game-high 22 points against the Taiwanese while naturalized player Andray Blatche, Jason Castro and Gabe Norwood are all perfectly healthy.
Terrence Romeo will also be a factor, especially now that the injury that hampered him in the first two windows is already a thing of the past.
“They’re quick with a lot of dribble penetration and three-point shooting,” said Dellavedova in a previous statement.
Dellavedova said playing in a massive arena would surely play a major role in the game.
He knows that Gilas Pilipinas is a fan-favorite back home and there’s nothing more difficult than competing against the home team with 55,000 fans cheering it on.
“I think it’s a 55,000-seater stadium, so I can imagine that they have a pretty loud home crowd and I’m looking forward to it. Actually, we’re all looking forward to it,” he said.
