TEHRAN – San Miguel-RP Team takes on Blue Star of Lebanon Friday with the Nationals aiming to continue their enriching learning experience in the 18th FIBA Asia Champions Cup at the Azadi Stadium here.
The match is set at 4:15 p.m. (8:45 p.m., Manila time) kicking off the quarterfinals of the tournament that has been a practical classroom for the Nationals in their bid to gear up for more important tournaments in the immediate future.
In order for the Nationals to continue facing and learning from the region’s top ballclubs, however, they must overcome the Lebanese who emerged from the eliminations of the three-team Group A unscathed.
“To me, they’re the second-best, if not the best, team here,” said RP coach Chot Reyes. “We go into the game as underdogs, but you never know.”
Tony dela Cruz won’t be able to play due to a severely sprained left ankle he sustained in the course of their 99-80 win over Bahrain’s Al Muharraq last Wednesday.
Also, for the second straight game, the Nationals will be playing an opponent with no import of overwhelming size advantage, the Lebanese reinforcements being 6-foot-10 John Carter and 6’6 William Pippen, said to be a relative of former NBA star Scottie Pippen.
Still, the two Americans have proven to be efficient and effective, especially when combining forces with Lebanon star national player El Fadi El Khatib. Their coach, Maz Trakh, is a former Talk N Text consultant and thus attuned to the style of play in the PBA where the Nationals have been culled from.
That’s why Reyes wants the gameplan he hatched late Wednesday, instilled into his players’ minds Thursday and drilled repeatedly during the Nationals’ Friday morning practice to be carried out to the letter.
“We’ve got to control the ball longer, but our emphasis will be on defense,” Reyes said.
“We’ve got to stop their transition game and disrupt their half-court offense. Grabe kasi ang half-court executions nila.”
A win over Lebanon will push the Nationals into Saturday’s semifinals while a loss will relegate them to the battle for fifth place.
Any finish will suit Reyes, just as long as his players continue benefiting from the stint that precedes next week’s SEABA tilt and July’s FIBA Asia championship.
“That’s why we’re here, to learn,” he stressed.