Chot: China not invincible

RP coach Chot Reyes hopes the victories of Argentina and Greece over the United States will serve as inspiration in their campaign to beat China in the coming FIBA-Asia championship in Tokushima, Japan.

"We’ll try to be the best Philippine team ever. If we’re going to the Olympics, we have to beat China. To beat China, we have to play the same way Argentina and Greece played in beating the US," Reyes told his players at the end of their first practice session Monday at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center. Argentina beat the US in the Athens Olympics and Greece claimed the feat in the World Championship.

Reyes distributed to his players folders containing articles about the Philippines’ last participation in the Olympics, the country’s showings in the FIBA-Asia championship and its forerunner ABC, the roots of Philippine basketball and the fall of the US team among others.

Reyes asked his players not to lose it, saying those papers will be their bible.

"Read it. It’s easy reading and it’s going to be exciting. We will give you more articles, stats as we go along," Reyes told his players, hoping the final article would be their journey to the Olympics.

Reyes pointed to the US fall as the must-read for his players.

"If the US was beaten, China can be beaten," said Reyes.

Reyes hopes to arrange as many games as possible with the Chinese before the FIBA-Asia championship in July.

"We have to be familiar with their game. That’s the way to do it," said Reyes.

Chances are the RP squad and some members of the Chinese team will see each other at the AIB camp in Carson, California. Reyes and his team depart for the US March 29.

"I heard the Chinese are also booked at the camp we’re attending," said Reyes.

The Philippines needs to finish first or second in the Tokushima joust to make it to the Beijing Games next year.

Other tough teams the Philippines has to hurdle are Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, South Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei. China finished first followed by Qatar and Jordan in the last Asian Games in Doha last year.

The Philippines has never missed the top four since the PBA has taken charge of the country’s participation in the Asiad starting in 1990.

The Nationals placed second in Beijing Asiad in 1990, fourth in Hiroshima in 1994, third in Bangkok in 1998 and fourth in Busan in 2002.