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FIBA World Cup: Coach Chot insists 'Andray is our guy'

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/trending/02/26/022618-andray-is-our-guy.jpg"/><figcaption>The entire Gilas Pilipinas team expressed their support for Andray Blatche. Arvin Lim, <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – Naturalized Filipino center Andray Blatche answered his critics on Sunday with an inspired performance for Gilas PIlipinas in their FIBA World Cup Asian qualifier against Japan at the Mall of Asia Arena.The former Brooklyn Net played his best game of the qualifiers so far, scoring 18 points and grabbing 16 boards to key the Filipinos&#x27; 89-84 win over the visiting Akatsuki Five.Afterward, Blatche acknowledged his relief at finally playing &quot;sort of well,&quot; but also knew that his &quot;bashers&quot; will keep finding a way to criticize him.&quot;All I can do is to continue getting better and stay focused,&quot; said the big man, who is set to rejoin his mother team, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, in time for the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) playoffs.Blatche may have shrugged off his critics, but his coach and teammates in the national team were not so forgiving of those who questioned their continued support of the naturalized player.&quot;You can say what you want to say about Andray,&quot; said Kiefer Ravena, &quot;But he delivered tonight.&quot;&quot;Big time si Andray ngayon,&quot; said June Mar Fajardo.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2018/02/26/calvin-emotional-mess-australia-game-38182">READ: Calvin was an emotional mess before the Australia game</a></li></ul>Jayson Castro, for his part, pointed out that even when Blatche struggled against Australia last Thursday – the big man only had eight points on 3-of-11 shooting against the Aussies – his value was still undeniable.&quot;Kung wala naman si Andray diyan, &#x27;di naman kami makakakuha ng wide open shot. &#x27;Yung presene pa lang ni Andray, mafi-feel mo na kapag mga ganoon na bagay,&quot; said Castro.As Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes puts it, &quot;Andray&#x27;s value has always been beyond numbers.&quot;The coach had publicly expressed his support for Blatche following their game against Australia, and after their triumph over Japan, Reyes doubled down on his support.&quot;I know he got a lot of flak for the last game (against Australia). He scored eight points, had seven rebounds, but his job was to guard (Daniel) Kickert, Australia&#x27;s best player,&quot; Reyes explained, noting that Kickert had been averaging 20 points per game while shooting close to 70% from beyond the arc.Against the Philippines, however, Keckert only had five points. &quot;So those of you who understand basketball, you will see that it&#x27;s not points only. There&#x27;s a lot of value,&quot; Reyes said.Other players stepped up for Australia, notably Mitchell Creek, but Reyes stressed that Blatche fulfilled the task assigned to him. &quot;I hope that puts to rest all this talk about Andray,&quot; Reyes went on to say.&quot;I&#x27;m telling everybody – we&#x27;re taking a look at everything, but Andray is our guy,&quot; he added emphatically.&quot;Andray makes us competitive, regardless of what the numbers or the stats show.&quot;For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

FIBA World Cup: Coach Chot insists 'Andray is our guy'

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FIBA World Cup: Coach Chot insists 'Andray is our guy'

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 26, 2018 05:09 PM PHT

Read More:

Gilas Pilipinas

Andray Blatche

FIBA World Cup

Asian Qualifiers

Chot Reyes

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