Andray Blatche Tearing It Up in China

By this year’s end, former New York high school phenom Andray Blatche will probably remember 2014 because of fresh starts and new adventures. In the span of just a handful of months, the former Washington Wizard and Brooklyn Net has become a naturalized Filipino citizen, has played in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, and, very recently, has been tearing up the competition in the Chinese Basketball Association’s (CBA) 2014-2015 regular season.

Gilas Pilipinas big man Andray Blatche has been impressive in the CBA.
(image from OSports.cn)

After his impressive stint with Gilas Pilipinas in #Spain2014, Blatche was hoping to get signed by an NBA club. You see, he didn’t push through with the contract extension offered by the Nets as he was probably hoping to land a sweeter deal for the new NBA season. No team, however, bit the bait, which prompted Blatche to look elsewhere to ply his trade.

All Roads Lead to Spain: Team Focus - GREECE

The 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball is closing in. After 36 years, a Filipino team is once again among the teams participating, and Pinoy hoop nuts the world over eagerly await how Gilas Pililipinas will fare against the world's best basketball talents.

In this five-part series, I will give a preview of what to expect from each team Gilas will face in Group B. In this particular post, we'll focus on the last team to defeat Team USA in the FIBA World Championships (way back in 2006), Greece.

Giannis Antetokounmpo might have many chances
to do this when Greece takes on Gilas Pilipinas.
(image from NBA.com)

(as of August 24, 2014)

All Roads Lead to Spain: Team Focus - CROATIA

The 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball is closing in. After 36 years, a Filipino team is once again among the teams participating, and Pinoy hoop nuts the world over eagerly await how Gilas Pililipinas will fare against the world's best basketball talents.

In this five-part series, I will give a preview of what to expect from each team Gilas will face in Group B. In this particular post, we'll focus on the fourth placers from Eurobasket 2013, Croatia.

Bojan Bogdanovic is set to lead a strong Croatian side
in #Spain2014.
(image from basket-infos.com)

All Roads Lead to Spain: Team Focus - SENEGAL

The 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball is closing in. After 36 years, a Filipino team is once again among the teams participating, and Pinoy hoop nuts the world over eagerly await how Gilas Pililipinas will fare against the world's best basketball talents.

In this five-part series, I will give a preview of what to expect from each team Gilas will face in Group B. In this particular post, we'll focus on the third placers from Afrobasket 2013, Senegal.

The Lions of Senegal celebrate after beating Ivory Coast in Afrobasket 2013.
(image from AfricaTopSports.com)

All Roads Lead to Spain: Ukraine Schools Gilas Pilipinas

With coach Chot Reyes choosing to rest Andray Blatche and Paul Lee, Gilas Pilipinas struggled to find its range and left the Ukrainians open too many times, which all contributed to a 114-64 shellacking on the last day of the 2014 Antibes Tournament in Nice, France. Coach Mike Fratello’s wards shot 58% from beyond the arc (19/33) to basically leave the Filipinos gasping. Oleksandr Lypovyy, Sergiy Gladyr, Olexandr Mishula, Dmytro Zabirchenko, Igor Zaytsev, and Sviatoslav Mikhailuk each made two or more threes for Ukraine, which is in Group C in #Spain2014.

Sergiy Gladyr pumps his jersey after hitting a big three in Eurobasket 2013.
(image from Eurobasket 2013)

All Roads Lead to Spain: Aussies Humble Gilas Pilipinas

Riding on momentum from its great debut against France yesterday, Gilas Pilipinas was hoping to play even better and maybe upset FIBA Oceania powerhouse Australia, but the Boomers had other plans. Leaning on his roster loaded with talents who play their trade in the NBA and Europe, coach Andrej Lemanis unloaded a shooting onslaught in the second half to turn a tight contest into a rout.

Andray Blatche and the rest of the Pinoys bowed to a hot-shooting Aussie quintet.
(image from Sportal Australia)