Author's note: Watching the USA vs. Ukraine and Croatia vs. Puerto Rico games delayed me from posting this entry by a few hours. But better late than never, as it has always been said.
Yes indeed, you've read it right once more. That's not a typo. The Philippines, a.k.a. Gilas Pilipinas, have indeed finally won in the 2014 FIBA World Cup by getting rid of pesky Senegal in their final game of the tournament, but not before they were pushed to the limit for the umpteenth time...and this time passing the test with flying colors! Led by June Mar "The Kraken" Fajardo and the retiring Jimmy "The Mighty Mouse" Alapag, my two hands down choices for the best players of the game, the Philippines prevented a repeat of the heartbreaking losses they suffered against Croatia, Argentina and Puerto Rico by playing more consistent, solid defense and sinking timely free throws towards the end of the overtime period for the country's first victory in the FIBA World Cup (or Olympics) in 40 years. The victory, although a no-bearing one for both sides, triggered rapturous celebrations across the basketball-mad nation and messages of congratulations online for the team and the country from both foreign and local basketball fans alike. It also made sure that the Philippines maintains its immaculate all time win-loss record against Senegal in both the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics at 3-0 as we've also won against them in the 1968 and 1972 Olympics (the latter being our last Olympic appearance to date). Lastly, it was also a perfect send-off to Alapag, one of the great point guards in Philippine basketball history who is retiring from international basketball at the end of the tournament.
The last time the Philippines won, it was at the then FIBA World Championship on July 12, 1974, when the Philippine national team led by future PBA legends Ramon "El Presidente" Fernandez, Robert "The Big J" Jaworski and Jaime "Jimmy" Mariano won over then first-time participants Central African Republic, 87-86, in what was also a thriller of a game and their final one of the tournament held at the Coliseo Héctor Solá Bezares in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The win, which came during the classification stage, gave the Philippines a 2-6 overall win-loss record and 13th place while dealing the Central Africans their eight loss in as many games and relegating them to 14th and dead last. (Side note: While the Philippines will figure in two more FIBA World Cup/Championship stints, Central African Republic would never see the light of that tournament again to date.)
Those tense moments when the Senegalese were determined to join the likes of the Philippines' Group B group mates (and South Korea in the past) in the Philippine party poopers league by dealing the country another heartbreaking loss were reminiscent of the Croatia game, except that in this case, it was not Jeff Chan but LA Tenorio who missed the last second shot that would've potentially broken a 64-all deadlock and won the game outright for Gilas in regulation. Fortunately, despite Senegal parading an NBA star in center Gorgui Dieng and the loss of naturalized player Andray Blatche due to five personal fouls, Alapag and Fajardo stepped up big time with a little help from the rest of their teammates in making sure the country will not go home winless. I'm thinking right now that this game may have probably made Senegal realize that the team that is hardest to beat is the one that has nothing more to lose.
If it was the curse of Korea that Gilas ended in the 2013 FIBA Asia
Championship, then it was the curse of the lengthy, winless FIBA World
Cup/Championship losing streak that they ended with that victory over
the 2013 Afrobasket third placers. And they were able to ultimately
accomplish both feats without the benefit of a naturalized player in the
homestretch. Does it sound like Gilas performs much better and with more heart and cohesion as a team without a naturalized player then? Hmm.
The Kraken has been unleashed, but Coach Chot failed to realize it much earlier. Had he played June Mar even more from the onset, the outcome of Gilas' first four games would've been totally different. That's one of the many lessons he, admittedly the inexperienced coach, should learn from this tournament aside from having his players play aggressively and consistently at their very best all game long to win games: You can never put a great player, an MVP type, the future of Philippine basketball, like June Mar Fajardo down.
Even hours after that historic win, I'm still on a high, even though the win would still not suffice to see Gilas through to the next round. As such, I would like to stop as soon as possible before serendipity gets the better of me and lengthens this blog entry further. But as a parting shot, I would like to say that I am optimistic that, with the new qualification format to be introduced by FIBA for the 2019 World Cup (hopefully to be held in the Philippines!), Gilas will have stronger chances to consistently qualify for every tournament since, with the future merger of FIBA Asia and FIBA Oceania, a total of seven guaranteed qualifying slots will be allotted to that new confederation. No more wild cards will be awarded with the new format, so two of those four slots have been directly awarded to the future FIBA Asia Oceania confederation.
Finally, I would like to send my congratulations to
Gilas Pilipinas. You saved your best for last. From mission impossible, it became mission accomplished as you ended your
campaign with a bang. For sure, the world has not yet seen the last and the best of the
Philippine men's basketball team. This is only the beginning. To Senegal, thank you for
being such worthy opponents by pushing us to the limit.
Maraming salamat, Kuya Jimmy, sa lahat ng naiambag mo sa muling pag-usbong ng bansang Pilipinas bilang isa sa mga pinakamagagaling na bansa sa larong basketbol. Nawa'y gabayan ka ng Poong Maykapal sa landas na iyong tatahakin sa iyong pagretiro. At sa
Gilas Pilipinas, mabuhay kayong lahat at nawa'y lalo niyo pang galingan ang inyong laro sa inyong mga susunod na laban sa hinaharap!
P. S. To Gilas Pilipinas, my next missions for you, should you choose to accept them, are: First, win the Philippines' first Asian Games basketball gold medal in 52 years. Second, win the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where you will also perform even better than in the 2014 FIBA World Cup. And third, assist the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP; Basketball Federation of the Philippines) in lending support to our Philippine women's national basketball team so they could also at least reach the level of excellence you have already achieved.
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