Philippines - Chot Reyes: We can beat the Chinese
Of all the questions asked of Chot Reyes when he named the members of the Philippine Team on Saturday, one reverberated inside the venue. And his answer rang even louder. "Yes, we can beat China," Reyes boldly declared during the brief press conference held to unveil the country's newest national team.
From www.asianjournal.com
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Of all the questions asked of Chot Reyes when he named the members of the Philippine Team on Saturday, one reverberated inside the venue.
And his answer rang even louder.
"Yes, we can beat China," Reyes boldly declared during the brief press conference held to unveil the country's newest national team.
"But how we do that remains the big question."
The firebrand San Miguel Beer coach selected five guards, the same number of forwards and two big men for the 12-man roster that will do battle in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association championship first before campaigning in the FIBA-Asia joust for an Olympic slot in July.
The road to the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing will be rough, but Reyes said the Philippines, in a manner of speaking, will ride fast and furious cars instead of the comfortably big limousines on the way there.
"I honestly think that we have the best guards in Asia," Reyes said. "China has the big players. But this (having the best guards) is our advantage and we intend to use that to the hilt.
"But make no mistake about it, this will not be automatic," he added.
The team Reyes and his assistants built can "break people (defenses) down," and can "run and shoot the three-pointer" if the need arises.
Team composition defended
Reyes defended the team's 5-5-2 composition, saying that only two of its members -- Talk 'N Text guard Jimmy Alapag and center Asi Taulava -- cannot play multiple positions.
The inclusion of Mick Pennisi also raised eyebrows, but Reyes and the coaching staff put into consideration the knack of the 6-foot-9 Filipino-Italian of hitting the three-point shot on a consistent basis and of playing tough defense.
Reyes took great pains explaining how the likes of Kerby Raymundo, Rudy Hatfield, Danny Seigle, Ranidel de Ocampo and Tony dela Cruz could play big and small positions with ease, and how Ren-Ren Ritualo and Dondon Hontiveros could slide from their normal off-guard spots to the point at any time.
Jay-Jay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa could go down as the team's focal points and Reyes is expected to make Barangay Ginebra's "fast and furious" tandem his primary offensive charges.
Three alternates -- big men Rommel Adducul, Rafi Reavis and Enrico Villanueva -- will join the team's preparations.
"We have workhorses in this team and that's important," Reyes said. "Plus, this is the first time that we have players here who really want to be here."
Making the Olympics for the first time since the 1972 Munich Games could prove to be a huge task, even for a person who has proven to have accomplished a lot like Reyes.
But Reyes has taken the view from the optimist's side of the world, agreeing to the old adage that every journey begins with a single step.
And, coupled with the prayers of an entire nation, Reyes believes that he has at his disposal what it would take to put the Philippines back in the grand stage of the sport.