All Roads Lead to Manila: Gilas Entry #27 – Taiwan & Gilas Pilipinas Team Previews

It is almost August 1 here in Manila, and the 2013 FIBA Asia Men’s Championship Tournament, the first ever held in these parts in four decades, is about to kick off at the ultramodern Mall of Asia Arena and the historic Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Now that the rosters of the participating teams have finally been revealed and confirmed, I can finally make the customary team-by-team previews of the tournament. This is, of course, something not done in much detail by other media outfits, so I am pretty excited. I plan to go through the groups starting with Group D and ending with Group A. Each post will focus on two teams, with the exception of the Group B preview, which will include all three squads since FIBA Asia wasn’t able to find a well-prepared replacement for the suspended Lebanese (I am still sad I won’t see Fadi El Khatib play).

For this last post, I will look at the final two Group A countries. One is an EABA team poised to return to the top tier of FIBA Asia hoops, and the other is the home squad all set to reclaim its former glory.

Can Gilas avoid the upset axe against dangerous Taiwan?
(image from FIBAAsia.net)

I will name a few key players for each team, some points of interest, and the general outlook for its performance. Where possible, I will also specify the team’s international nickname/moniker. Please note that a country’s basketball team usually uses the same moniker as its football team, with a few notable exceptions of course.

Game? Alright. Lezz do dis.

Folks, I present to you Chinese Taipei and Team Gilas Pilipinas.

CHINESE TAIPEI (TPE)

Moniker: Zhong Hai Dui (The Chinese Team)

Qualification: Placed fifth in the 2013 EABA Tournament, beating Mongolia and Macau, but losing to Japan and South Korea.

Last FIBA Asia Appearance: 2011 – 4 wins & 5 losses – Beat Qatar, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, and Malaysia, but lost to South Korea, Iran (twice), the Philippines, and Japan.

Roster:

Name	Age	Height	Position
Quincy Davis	30	6’8	C
Tseng Wen-Ting	29	6’8	F/C
Lu Cheng-Ju	27	6’5	F/G
Lin Chih-Chieh	31	6’4	G/F
Lee Hsueh-Lin	29	5’11	G
Tien Lei	30	6’8	F/C
Chou Po-Chen	23	6’6	F
Douglas Creighton	28	6’6	F
Tsai Wen-Cheng	28	6’2	G
Chen Shih-Chieh	29	5’10	G
Hung Chih-Shan	28	5’10	G
Yang Chin-Min	29	6’2	G

Key Player:

1) Quincy Davis – Should Taiwan improve on its previous eighth place finish, Davis should be the big reason why (quite literally). Now that the Taiwanese have a potentially dominant presence in the middle (instead of the oft-injured Wu Tai-Hao), every position is filled and their shooters should have more room with which to work. This also means natural PFs Tseng Wen-Ting and Tien Lei no longer have to put in as much time pretending to be centers. Heck, if coach Hsu Chin-Tse wants to, he can even go tall with all three bigs on the floor. Q can play 5, Tseng will be 4, and Tien has the skill-set to be a match-up nightmare at the 3 spot. Oh the possibilities.

2) Lin Chih-Chieh – Aside from Tseng and Tien, however, the guy who really set to benefit from the presence of Q is none other than the guy Taiwanese have nicknamed “Beast” – Lin Chih-Chieh. Lin actually plies his trade in the CBA, but his popularity in his home country is comparable to how maybe someone like James Yap is popular here in Manila. Lin is, simply put, a born scorer. He is well-known for his streaky sniping, but he is also a great finisher on the break, is a good slasher, and has the ability to hit those tough pull-ups. And with more seams in opposing defenses because of Q, I imagine Lin will have a field day quite frequently.

Lin Chih-Chieh looks to break out in a big way
here in Manila.
(image from Basketball-TPE.org)

3) Lu Cheng-Ju – Lu who? Lu is often left as an after thought when people talk about the Taiwanese team, but I believe he is the perfect compliment to Q’s inside game and Lin’s wing versatility. Just imagine how PJ Simon is for James Yap and you can already have a good picture of what Lu is to Lin. If teams don’t do their homework in scouting this guy, or get lazy in closing him out, they will pay dearly.

Point of Interest:

1) Back to the Top? – The last time TPE made the podium in FIBA Asia seniors play was way back in 1989 when they placed third. The last time they entered the semifinals was in 1999. Suffice to say that this is one hungry bunch that will stop at nothing to regain their place among the greats. And with a team that promises to be deeper than any they’ve sent before, they just might make it happen.

2) Bad Blood – Nobody will admit it, of course, but the first round clash between Taiwan and Gilas should be epic. Both teams match-up well against each other, and both are raring to beat the other. The last few times Taipei faced Gilas, they finished on the losing end – 2012 FIBA Asia Cup, 2012 Jones Cup, 2011 FIBA Asia Championships, and 2011 Jones Cup. Heck, even if Taiwan doesn’t qualify for the World Cup, they will still go home happy if they can win over Gilas.

Tournament Outlook:

Taiwan should be a sure-fire quarterfinal team. I am actually picking them to finish as one of the top two teams in Group E. That’s how significant Q is for them. On a good day, they may even be good enough to beat the power teams from the other side of the bracket. This is a different Taiwan team, and all the other squads should be ready.

PHILIPPINES (PHL)

Moniker: Gilas Pilipinas

Qualification: Awarded hosting rights by FIBA Asia because the security situation in Lebanon (the original choice for hosting) was too unstable.

Last FIBA Asia Appearance: 2011 – 6 wins & 3 losses – Beat UAE, Bahrain, Japan, and Syria, but lost to China and South Korea. Gilas also played Jordan twice, winning their second round encounter, but losing in the semifinals.

Roster:

Name	Age	Height	Position
Marcus Douthit	31	6’11	C
Japeth Aguilar	26	6’9	F/C
Gabe Norwood	28	6’5	F/G
Jeff Chan	30	6’4	G/F
Jayson Castro	27	5’10	G
June Mar Fajardo	24	6’10	C
Ranidel De Ocampo	32	6’5	F
Larry Fonacier	31	6’4	G/F
Gary David	35	6’2	G
LA Tenorio	29	5’10	G
Marc Pingris	32	6’5	F/C
Jimmy Alapag	36	5’10	G

Key Players:

1) Marcus Douthit – Douthit was one of the best players in the previous FIBA Asia, averaging 21.9ppg, 12.2rpg, and 1.7bpg while shooting 56% from the field. He probably won’t have to score as much this time around with the best of the PBA behind him, but how he plays will still be the biggest factor in determining how far Gilas will go.

2) LA Tenorio – A year ago, Tenorio was the captain of Gilas, leading them to the Jones Cup title and then a top 4 finish in the FIBA Asia Cup. With veteran campaignr Jimmy Alapag and FIBA newbie Jayson Castro in tow, how will “The Lieutenant” respond? Despite my belief that Tenorio will probably come off the bench, I still think his playmaking will be critical in the Pinoys’ quest for glory.

Will LA Tenorio be able to help Gilas to another title?
(image from Basketball-TPE.org)

3) Jimmy Alapag – I have to admit that I was surprised Jimmy got the nod for the twelfth spot in the Gilas roster. I was hoping they would pick Greg Slaughter as an insurance big and for valuable experience, but nobody can really fault the Gilas staff for choosing someone as great as Jimmy. Like LA he will probably play off the bench, but my guess is his true value lies more in his leadership and experience. He can shoot the lights out, of course, but when the going gets tough, Jimmy should be the anchor that steadies the Gilas ship.

Points of Interest:

1) Our time? – Many things seem to have gone the Filipinos’ way running up to FIBA Asia 2013. Manila becoming the host, many PBA players being released to the Gilas program, and recent FIBA Asia developments (the absence of Lebanon and the depletion of Jordan most notably) have all pointed to the seemingly divine possibility that this tournament will be extra special. I hope all the good things continue to come together.

2) No Jones Cup – Because of the Taipei-Manila row over disputed waters and the consequent loss of life, Gilas was un-invited from the 2013 Jones Cup. This meant the team’s preparation got derailed in a major way, but the flipside was opposing teams couldn’t really scout our boys as closely as they would have wanted. Whether getting the snub will be, ultimately, a good thing or a bad thing can only be determined when the whole tournament closes on August 11.

Tournament Outlook:

The last time coach Chot Reyes piloted the Philippine NT, they finished outside of the top 8. He didn’t have the luck of the draw back then as they were bracketed with Jordan, Iran, and China. This time around, there is hardly any reason for Gilas not to live up to its potential. Playing at home should give him and his wards a distinct advantage, despite the accompanying pressure to win. In the end, I believe in this team and what it can accomplish. I believe in what these payers represent, and that they can shock the world. I believe in Gilas.

#parasabayan