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Gilas Pilipinas

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720161210101IMG_4354.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Gilas Pilipinas in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. <em>Photo from FIBA. </em></span></span></span></div><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
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</style><p>Gilas Pilipinas has caught the world’s attention in their 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament campaign in Riga, Latvia.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/4/fiba-oqt-semis-bound-gilas-comeback-falls-short-against-georgia-2225" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: FIBA OQT semis-bound Gilas’ comeback falls short against Georgia</strong></a></div><p>They opened the OQT with their guns blazing, stunning the hosts with a historic victory on early Thursday morning, and they followed it with a still-impressive, two-point loss against Georgia less than 24 hours later.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/3/gilas-stuns-world-no-6-latvia-inches-closer-to-oqt-semis-134" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: </strong></a><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/3/gilas-stuns-world-no-6-latvia-inches-closer-to-oqt-semis-134" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Brownlee the hero as Gilas stuns world No. 6 Latvia, inches closer to OQT semis</strong></a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/5/-bounce-na-ko-ssob-wise-edward-latest-to-depart-from-blacklist-1320" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: </strong></a><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/5/-bounce-na-ko-ssob-wise-edward-latest-to-depart-from-blacklist-1320" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Latvia coach Banchi hails Gilas’ height and defense, Cone’s Triangle</strong></a></div><div><strong><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/4/cone-after-gilas-historic-oqt-triumph-over-latvia-we-re-not-here-just-to-win-one-game-1320" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: </strong></a><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/4/cone-after-gilas-historic-oqt-triumph-over-latvia-we-re-not-here-just-to-win-one-game-1320" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Cone after Gilas’ historic OQT triumph over Latvia: ‘We’re not here just to win one game’</strong></a></strong></div><p>These allowed the Tim Cone-coached squad to book a ticket to the tournament’s semifinals as the second seed of Group A, but the multi-titled mentor said they were not even expecting to reach this stage at all.</p><p>“Well, we have our tickets to leave tomorrow. We already had our tickets out, our reservations to go, we already bought the tickets to leave tomorrow,” said the Barangay Ginebra tactician after their game against the world ranked No. 23 Georgia.</p><p>“I guess we’re gonna have to move them back a little bit. That’s how surprised we are to be here and talking to you guys,” continued Cone after they almost came back from a 20-point deficit.</p><p>But now that they are in the semis, how can Gilas further extend their stay in Latvia and maybe, even go all the way to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span><strong>Enter Brazil</strong></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720161473763IMG_4355.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Brazil star and former Toronto Raptor Bruno Caboclo who has been averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and a steal for his squad in the 2024 FIBA OQT. <em>Photo from FIBA.  </em></span></span></span></div><p>The world’s 12th best squad was able to clinch Group B’s top seed after a 1-1 record in its bracket.</p><p>The squad defeated Nikola Vucevic and Montenegro in the group games, 81-72, and fell short against Cameroon, 77-74, and doing damage for them is their roster that features present and former NBA players. </p><p>Golden State Warriors guard Gui Santos, former Chicago Bull Cristiano Felicio, former Los Angeles Laker Marcelinho Huertas, former Toronto Raptor Bruno Caboclo, former Utah Jazz Raul Neto, and former Portland Trail Blazer Didi Louzada will be in the way of Gilas in the semifinals.</p><p>“We not only need to forget this game mentally and also prepare ourselves, but we need to get the message to the floor on what we need to do if we would like to beat the Philippines,” said Brazil coach Aleksandar Petrovic following their shorthanded comeback that almost got them eliminated after being down by as much as 24.</p><div><strong>Will Kai Sotto play?</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720161665784IMG_4352.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Kai Sotto, who has been putting up 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2024 FIBA OQT. <em>Photo from FIBA. </em></span></span></span></div><p>The 7-foot-3 ace of the Philippines prematurely exited the game last night at the 6:42 mark of the second quarter after colliding with Georgia’s Joe Thomasson and Goga Bitadze landing on him upon his fall.</p><p>Sotto was then sent to the hospital after his exit for X-rays and tests, and he was not able to return to the game in the second half. </p><p>Fortunately for GIlas, Cone shared a positive update on Sotto.</p><p>“No rib fractures. He&#x27;s a game-time decision,” Cone told ABS-CBN News in a message.</p><div><strong>Two more wins</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720161757982IMG_4342.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Gilas Pilipinas in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. <em>Photo from FIBA. </em></span></span></span></strong></span></div><p>It is now up for Cone and his troops to defy the odds yet again, and he said that what would help them do so is remaining composed and focusing on their goals amid the praises that they have been reaping.</p><p>‘I hope that’s not coming through our minds, because we’re very process-driven,” said Cone when asked about the pressure that their impressive run may have produced.</p><p>“We wanna just stay on what’s right in front of us. We don’t wanna look at the end zone and the end game and think: ‘Wow, what happens if we can make it to Paris?’”</p><p>“We got this step done and now we have another step to take. I think that’s where the focus [must be], and that’s hopefully where the focus is of our guys.”</p><p>Gilas and Brazil will lock horns Saturday at 8:30 p.m., while Latvia and Cameroon will be settling their own semis clash early Sunday morning at 12 a.m.</p><p>The winner of each semis knock-out game will face in the OQT finals on Monday, 12 a.m., and the victor of that matchup will be the lone squad who will advance into the 2024 Paris Games. </p>

<p>Brazil’s NBA player-laden roster, Kai Sotto’s injury, and the other things that stand in the way of Gilas Pilipinas of booking the elusive Olympic Games ticket.</p>

Brazil’s NBA player-laden roster, Kai Sotto’s injury, and the other things that stand in the way of Gilas Pilipinas of booking the elusive Olympic Games ticket.

Mission Paris: What Gilas Pilipinas needs to overcome to book elusive Olympic ticket

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Mission Paris: What Gilas Pilipinas needs to overcome to book elusive Olympic ticket

Romwel Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 05, 2024 03:23 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 05, 2024 04:44 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

ABSSports

Gilas Pilipinas

2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

Tim Cone

2024 Paris Olympic Games

Kai Sotto Injury

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