Gilas 3x3 seeks to avenge 5x5 heartbreak

NAGOYA, Japan – Gilas Pilipinas Men’s 3x3 Team tries to keep the Philippine basketball campaign alive in the 20th Asian Games when they face Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 is coming off a 2-0 start after beating Asian no. 1 Mongolia, 19-12, and Sri Lanka, 21-12, on the opening day of competition at Kinjo Futo Station Square as it heads into the crucial Pool A match.

A win over Kazakhstan at 12:15 p.m. would give the Philippines a sweep of the elimination round and an outright ticket to the quarterfinals, bringing the young squad one step closer to a medal.

Kazakhstan lost to Mongolia after beating Sri Lanka in the first two games of the tournament to end up with a 1-1 record.

Nic Cabañero of the Binan Tatak Gel team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, has been the main man in Gilas’ hot start, scoring seven points against Mongolia before adding another eight against Sri Lanka. Timely scoring from Santo Tomas’ Koji Buenaflor and Luis Pablo of La Salle has also helped, but the Filipinos’ defensive pressure has enabled them to dictate the tempo in both games.

Cabañero, Buenaflor, Pablo and Doy Dungo, also of La Salle, arrived in Nagoya after just about a month of preparation but their familiarity from the UAAP and other competitions has helped them quickly develop chemistry.

The Philippines also comes into Wednesday’s game on the back of a rise to No. 27 in the world men’s 3x3 rankings, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas said.

But the Filipinos are not assuming anything.

“Dito sa 3x3, anybody can beat anyone, so we consider everyone a threat,” Pablo said.

That mindset could be important against Kazakhstan as Gilas seeks not only to finish the pool stage unbeaten.

China shattered the defending champion 5x5 team's bid to retain its title, beating the Philippines, 105-61, in the preliminary round. The 44-point drubbing ended the Philippines' hopes of repeating their Hangzhou triumph.