Already denied the chance to advance into the second round after absorbing four straight setbacks, the Philippines men's basketball team will continue to chase for an elusive win at the 2014 World Cup against rising African power Senegal on Thursday at Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo.
The Gilas Pilipinas have been playing beyond their limitation throughout the tournament, as their hardwork and perseverance have drawn the admiration of the hoops world after pushing traditional powerhouses to the limit.
The Philippines lost its opener to a talented Croatian team in overtime (81-78) and held their own against a much taller Greek squad (82-70). In the game against the third-ranked Argentina, the Filipinos had a chance to win it all in the telling minutes of the match but a costly turnover allowed the South Americans to foil the upset bid (85-81).
With their back against the wall, the Filipinos stormed to an early lead but the Puerto Ricans, led by JJ Barea's 30 points, fought back to grind out the victory and stay alive in the tournament.
Frustrations are all over the face of head coach Chot Reyes after failing short against these elite squads. However, Spanish sports newspaper Diario AS columnist Jose Ignacio Pinilla believed the Filipinos deserve to exit the tournament with a win because of their gutsy performance.
"They took the game to a tight 82-81 with just two minutes, but three free throws by Nocioni and his cap on the Castro three-pointer ended the chances of a Philippines that can not and should not end without at least a victory in this competition. They deserve it," Pinilla wrote in Spanish according to a rough translation of his column," according to the Spanish writer.
Rafe Bartholomew, editor of famous sports site Grantland.com, also lauded the Filipinos for their immense courage to go toe-to-toe against bigger opponents at the world stage of basketball.
"But even if Gilas goes 0-5, which will be a disappointment, the Philippines will remember this tournament with enormous pride," Bartholomew wrote in a column on Grantland.
On Thursday, the Philippines will be taking on giants once again as they play Senegal, who punched their ticket to the next round after stunning both Puerto Rico and Croatia. Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng has been the heart and soul of Senegal on both ends and is expected to wreck havoc in the game as well.
Live Stream Information, Box Score, and Update
Philippines vs. Senegal Group B match will start at 8:00 a.m (Eastern Time) on ESPN and Basketball TV. The game can also be watched via Live Stream on TV5 Aksyon and FIBA World Cup live. Stats and updates can be followed on FIBA World Cup official site.
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