Things are not looking good for Gilas Pilipinas and its chances in the 20th Asian Games.

In their two friendly matches against South Korea, the Filipinos were crushed, battered and badly beaten. They suffered a 55-81 setback last Friday followed by a 42-69 decision last Sunday, proving that they still have a lot of work to do before duplicating their magical run in the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Let’s not kid ourselves: Those losses are not just mere results in a pair of meaningless exhibition matches. They are huge red flags being waved before our faces as if warning us to brace for a massive catastrophe that is waiting to happen in Nagoya.

There’s something terribly wrong if you lose by an average of 26.5 points to a team you’re hoping to beat convincingly in a tournament that starts in three days. Obviously, our Gilas boys are not yet prepared —- way, way far from it.

But being unprepared isn’t the fault of the team; it’s the fault of the people who are supposed to prepare the team.

Look, among members of the Gilas squad, only four players have actual international experience: Robert Bolick, Justine Baltazar, RJ Abarrientos and Justin Arana. Well, Don Trollano was part of the Yeng Guiao-coached team that prepared for the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, but he got cut at the last minute to give way for naturalized player Jordan Clarkson.

Based on its back-to-back setbacks to the Koreans, this batch of Gilas has no legitimate frontcourt threat. Sure, the 6-foot-9 Baltazar and 6-foot-7 Arana as well as 6-foot-9 Brandon Bates can get the job done down low, but it’s nothing compared to having June Mar Fajardo or Kai Sotto or Quentin Millora-Brown terrorizing the paint.

Remember, this is the Asian Games, a tournament where the best players in the continent are competing. Gilas Pilipinas will be playing for the gold medal that will bring so much pride and joy to the Filipinos so the most our basketball officials could do is to equip our national team with the weapons it needs to be successful.

Also, the absence of Justin Brownlee is truly painful.

Brownlee, the heart and soul of the squad that won a gold medal in the previous Asian Games, had retreated to the United States while nursing multiple injuries. Gilas coach Tim Cone, who has been coaching Brownlee for the past 15 years, couldn’t say his actual condition other than leaving him a spot in the 12-man roster “just in case he suddenly becomes available.”

You see, the fate of Gilas is as uncertain as the availability of Brownlee. Without Brownlee, the Filipino cagers are playing like a headless chicken looking for direction, something that they can’t afford to do when they face vengeful China in the preliminaries or the very disciplined Koreans and Japanese in the latter part of the competition.

Yes, Brownlee will be out. That’s perfectly fine. After all, he’s already 38. But we still have two — actually, three — naturalized players who could have easily suited up only if the federation was forward-thinking enough to anticipate his looming absence.

Cone is saying “do not panic” as there’s still time to adjust. Well, I believe it. After all, Cone had been in this situation before and he survived it with flying colors. It’s not just a mark of a veteran coach — it’s a mark of a true leader, somebody who calms the room when everybody is starting to panic.

So, what can we expect from Gilas in the coming Asian Games? I don’t know.

For now, all we can do is pray and hope for the best. In Tim we trust.