“We’re not healthy at all. We’re a banged up team.”
That’s the condition of the Philippine national men’s basketball team after some bone-wearying matches in their recently-concluded stint in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, according to their head coach, Chot Reyes.
Several of their members finished the tournament playing at less than full health – from naturalized NBA player Andray Blatche to frontliners Marc Pingris and Ranidel De Ocampo to guards Jayson Castro and Paul Lee.
Reyes said that at this point, all the team is focused on is getting some much-needed recovery time from its many aches and pains.
“We’re tired and we miss our families. Now is not the time to ask about our preparedness for the Asian Games mainly because after that grueling trip, we’re in no frame of mind at all,” Reyes told InterAksyon. shortly after arriving in the country on Tuesday afternoon.
Gilas Pilipinas, which participated in the World Cup for the first time since 1978, made a strong showing in the tournament, nearly pulling off upsets against European squad Croatia and Argentina, the third-best team in the FIBA World Rankings.
They will be looking to keep the momentum going in the Asian Games, where they will bid to become the first Filipino team to win the gold medal in 50 years.
But that’s the furthest thing from Reyes’ mind right now as the team looks to rest up before gearing up for their next challenge.
“In five games or one week, it will be different, but if you’re asking me now, our main objective is to rest and recover,” the coach said.
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