DUBAI - Nakalasap ng dalawang sunod na kabiguan, lalabanan ng Team Philippines ang nagdedepensang United States sa preliminaries ng FIBA U17 World Championship sa Al Shabab Arena.
Yumuko sa Angola at Greece, pipilitin ng Batang Gilas na gulatin ang Americans sa kanilang paghaharap sa alas-6:45 ng (alas-10:45 ng gabi sa Manila).
Sinikwat ng United States ang gold medal ng torneo noong 2010 sa Hamburg at noong 2012 sa Kaunas sa mga dominanteng paraan.
Muling ipaparada ng United States sina Malik Newman, Ivan Rabb at Diamond Stone matapos talunin ang Greece, 83-73, at Angola, 99-56.
“It will be a mixed feeling if these Americans dunked over me,” wika ni Jolo Mendoza, ang leading scorer ng Batang Gilas. “Playing on the same court with these future superstars is a different kind of feeling. It’s pretty special. We’ll surely enjoy every single minute of it.”
Huling nakatapat ng Pilipinas ang United States sa isang major international competition noong 1978 nang idaos sa Manila ang FIBA World Championship.
Nanalo ang Americans, 100-70, sa semifinals na ginanap sa Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Sinabi naman ni Batang Gilas coach Jamike Jarin na handa ang koponang tapatan ng depensa ang Americans.
“We’re excited to play them, I’m sure they are also excited to play us,” wika ni Jarin.
“They need to prepare because we’re getting better. We played with a big heart against Angola, a bigger heart against Greece, and we’ll play with the biggest heart against the Americans,” wika pa ni Jarin.