Willie Marcial After finally getting the green light, hopes are high on the national men’s basketball team as it embarks on the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta this month.

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Willie Marcial yesterday said the new Gilas Pilipinas is a strong and fighting team that could surpass its seventh-place finish in the previous edition in Incheon in 2014.

Marcial added that if preparation will not hit a snag, the team is capable of advancing to the semifinals – or fifth place at the worst.

Despite being formed at the last minute, the new batch of Gilas Pilipinas has the depth, the experience and the firepower to emerge victorious.

Veterans James Yap and Asi Taulava will serve as cornerstones while Filipino-American wingers Maverick Ahanmisi, Stanley Pringle and Gabe Norwood as well as rising stars Ricci Rivero, Paul Lee and Kobe Paras are tipped to provide firepower and athleticism.

New head coach Yeng Guiao also inserted bangers Beau Belga, JP Erram, Christian Standhardinger and Raymund Almazan for defensive stops while Chris Tiu and Don Trollano would be the designated gunners to stretch the defense.

But the best thing is the fact that the team would be marching to the prestigious quadrennial meet without any pressure since it was assembled at the last minute with only eight days to train as a team.

Still, Marcial said he wouldn’t be surprised if this team achieves its goal.

“I’m expecting this team to surpass our seventh-place finish. This team will fight. My prediction is 4th to 5th spot,” said Marcial in an interview with Daily Tribune.

Marcial said powerhouse China, South Korea and Iran will surely be marching with their best team.

Of course, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei and reigning champion South Korea are still there, making it one of the toughest Asian Games battles ever.

“But if there is chance to finish in the podium, why not? That will be an overachievement in terms of our counterparts, who will be parading their main teams,” said Marcial, adding that the failure of June Mar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter to make it to the team was the discretion of Guiao and the SBP.

Slaughter and Fajardo, the league’s most dominant big men from Cebu, are still locked in a bitter PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finals showdown.

Although Standhardinger, the Filipino-German bruiser of San Miguel Beer, is also part of the finals, San Miguel Corp. still gladly offered him to the national squad.

“They didn’t ask for Greg or June Mar because they know that they are still in the finals,” Marcial said.

“This team will fight especially with Standhardinger who plays like an import.”

With Rain or Shine carrying the fight, the PBA is adjusting its schedule in the upcoming Governor’s Cup.

Meanwhile, those teams with players in the squad like NLEX, Blackwater, Globalport, San Miguel, Magnolia and Talk ‘N Text will have very minimal games.

“Rain or Shine will be the only team with no schedule. But we’re giving the other teams a minimal schedule. We can’t give exact number of games yet but we’ll make sure it’s minimal. We’ll squeeze it to make room for them,” said Marcial, who will fly to Jakarta with the PBA governors on Aug. 14 to cheer for the Nationals.

“I hope our fellows get to support our national team. We’re all on this fight.”