June Mar Fajardo leaves his Italian defenders behind. (Fiba photo)

Filipino pride and resiliency were on full display Saturday night despite the Philippine team’s pitiful 62-108 loss to Italy in the opener of the 2019 Fiba World Cup in Foshan, China.

As President Rodrigo Duterte and other members of the Philippine delegation in the five-day state visit to China watched the game, the Filipinos “valiantly fought their taller, bigger, shiftier and sharp-shooting Italian opponents,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo noted.

“Unfortunately, at the end of the buzzer, even as there were flashes of brilliance displayed by our players, our Filipino players had to yield to a superior rival. With the help of NBA players [Danilo Gallinari of the Los Angeles Clippers and Marco Belinelli of the San Antonio Spurs], the Italian team outplayed and outscored our Filipino players.

China Vice President Wang Qishan paid a courtesy call on President Duterte before the start of the game.

President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Bong Go support the Philippine team against Italy in the Fiba World Cup on Saturday night in Foshan, China. To the President’s left is China Vice President Wang Qishan. (PCOO photo)

The President watched from the VIP deck of the GBA International Sports and Cultural Center. During the halftime break, he waved at the Filipinos watching the game.

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Foreign Affairs Sec. Teddy Boy Locsin and other members of the Philippine delegation also watched the game live.

The Philippine team faces Serbia on Monday at 7:30 p.m. and Angola on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

Panelo said that while the Philippines suffered a defeat at the onset, he is certain the “nation’s team will bounce back with renewed heart in its next game.”

“It’s not always winning that counts. It is how the game is played. Our Filipino players honorably competed with grit and passion today, and for that they deserve our admiration,” Panelo said.