Gilas Pilipinas wary of unpredictable Lebanon

Gilas Pilipinas faces a tough battle as it confronts an unpredictable Lebanon squad that will be playing without its ace guard and naturalized player in the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Friday at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Action is set at 6 p.m. with the Filipinos eager to make an impact in the final leg of this tournament that serves as a gateway to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup that the country will host from 25 August to 10 September.

The Filipinos heaved a sigh of relief when prized gunner Wael Arakji and naturalized player Jonathan Arledge were scratched off the 12-man roster that Lebanese basketball officials submitted to the International Basketball Federation before the Cedars left Beirut on Wednesday.

But Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes remains wary, knowing that the Lebanese are capable of springing a lot of surprises.

"They beat New Zealand with this group," Reyes told Daily Tribune in a text message a day before the encounter that will serve as a rematch following their dramatic encounter at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex in Beirut last year.

The Lebanese prevailed, 85-81, with Arakji rubbing salt to the Filipino wound by claiming that "when you're in my town, you go by my rules. You're in Lebanon, so you go by our rules and that's what we did today" shortly after nailing the dagger three-pointer.

This time, the Lebanese may have no Arakji, Arledge or former National Basketball Association player Norvel Pelle but the home squad will also be handicapped.

From being the tallest team in the previous window, Gilas Pilipinas will be forced to play with a small-ball roster as it is missing the services of rim protectors like 7-foot-2 Kai Sotto, 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar, 6-foot-8 Poy Erram, 6-foot-7 Raymond Almazan, and rising star Carl Tamayo, leaving six-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player as the only legitimate paint patroller.

Sotto, the young center who played for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League Australia, couldn't commit as he joined the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the Japan B. League while Aguilar and Erram are sidelined with injuries.

On the same note, Almazan and Tamayo are also tied up with their respective teams in the PBA and B. League, respectively.

Lacking in size but not in talent and heart, Gilas Pilipinas will then count on its explosive wingmen and big guards who are capable of playing multiple positions like Dwight Ramos, Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Ray Parks and even B2 League player Jordan Heading.

But Reyes is excited at how Gilas will perform in front of their hometown despite having a small lineup and relatively new faces, headed by naturalized player Justin Brownlee.

The 6-foot-4 Brownlee has been granted Philippine citizenship and is now eligible to see action in major international events like the FIBA World Cup, Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games.

"We want to see how the new players perform and how our team competes in the absence of our rim protectors," said Reyes, who will draw motivation from their bitter 81-85 loss to the Lebanese in their previous encounter.

Jong Uichico, one of the assistant coaches of Reyes who also serves as chief scout, believes that although Gilas are missing their big men, they can still make it up with their athleticism and versatility.

"We have a decent set of wing men and guards and of course, they're talented, so we know we can compete," Uichico said.