MANILA, Philippines - Gilas Pilipinas waxed hot despite the cold weather to turn back Hawke Bay Hawks, 82-78, at the start of its six-game tour in New Zealand in preparation for the FIBA Asia Men's Basketball Championship.
Anendra Singh of Hawkes Bay Today reported that Gilas bucked a lethargic third quarter to escape with the close win against the Hawks mentored by former New Zealand national head coach Tab Baldwin.
With one half of the Hastings Sports Stadium in Napier filled with Filipino supporters, the Nationals sat on a five-point cushion, 47-42, at the half. The home team, however, came alive in the third canto outscoring the Filipinos, 22-14, to take a 64-61 lead into the payoff period.
But Gilas, relying on its vaunted outside shooting, came back in the final frame to chalk up its first win in the six-game road trip serving as the final phase of its two-month extensive training for the World Cup qualifiers in Asia.
"Tough W (win) vs Hawks today, 82-78. Imports Darko Cohaderevic and Kareem Johnson outplayed Marcus, but our outside shooting was on target," Gilas head coach Chot Reyes said on his Twitter (@coachot) after the game. "Need more D (defensive) work though."
Cohaderevic, a 6-foot-9 Serbian big man, outscored Douthit, 19-13, but locals Ranidel de Ocampo and LA Tenorio picked up the slack adding 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Reyes' son and one of his assistant coaches Josh posted on his Instagram account a short video of the team's post-game huddle with the caption: "Bit out of sync but good first win today."
Hawks captain Paora Winitana was amazed by the big turnout of Filipino fans even to the extent of opening up their doors to talents coming from the Philippines.
"We need to get a couple of Filipinos in the Hawks, Winitana told Hawkes Bay Today. "I didn't know we had so many Filipinos, although I'm not sure if they live here or they are from outside the region or country and just following their national team.
Winitana, who helped the Tall Blacks reached the 2004 Athens Olympics, said that that while he was mobbed by Filipino fans after the game.
"We definitely want to build a rapport with these guys. You can see how passionate they are about basketball and some of them might be even able to attend our trainings and perhaps, play for us,"added Winitana, who was ordained as a Mormon bishop a year after his stint in the Olympics.
Gilas will only take a one-day breather before a back-to-back schedule on weekend starting with a rematch against Hawks on Saturday and the NBL All Stars on Sunday.
The NBL All Stars will be bannered by New Zealand's best local players and imports outside the Final Four teams.
The Filipinos, who are also undergoing a five-day clinic under Baldwin, will take a break on Monday before a killer stretch that will see them play NBL Final Four-bound Wellington Saints on Tuesday then the Super City Rangers on Wednesday before the much anticipated showdown with the Tall Blacks in Auckland, New Zealand.