Japan, Chinese-Taipei ‘di babalewalain ni Reyes

MANILA, Philippines - Hindi binabalewala ni Gilas coach Chot Reyes ang mga kakayahan ng Japan at Chinese-Taipei sa 27th FIBA-Asia Men’s Championships.

 â€œI’m not overlooking Japan and Chinese Taipei. Taipei is now really strong because of Quincy Davis. They’re like Kazakhstan which has become a lot better be­cause of the addition of a player (naturalized point guard Jerry Johnson) that they need,” wika ni Reyes.

Sinabi pa ni Reyes na ang Gilas, Korea, Jordan, Qa­tar, Kazakhstan, Japan at Chinese Taipei ay ang mga koponang maaaring tumalo sa isa’t isa.

Maliban sa nagdedepensang China at two-time cham­pion Iran, inaasahan ding makikipagsabayan ang Gi­las Pilipinas, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Kazakhs­tan, Japan at Chinese Taipei sa 27th FIBA-Asia Men’s Championships.

Sinabi ni Reyes na paborito pa rin ang China at Iran sa FIBA-Asia meet na nakatakda sa Agosto 1-11 at  la­laruin sa MOA Arena sa Pasay at sa Ninoy Aquino Sta­dium sa Manila.

“Obviously, Iran and China are head and shoulder above anybody else in the competition. And I think we’re in equal footing with Korea, Jordan, Qatar and Kazakhstan,” wika ni Reyes.

Kung gusto ng Gilas na makabawi sa kanilang fourth-place finish sa nakaraang Asian championship, dapat nilang talunin ang mga Koreans, Jordanians, Qataris, Kazakhs, Japanese at Taiwanese.

“Our focus against Jordan and Qatar is reboun­ding. They’re big, and we have to make sure that they don’t kill us off the boards,” ani Reyes. “They will try to over­power us. Mamamain nila tayo.”