Spain won the FIBA WORLD CUP Championship beating Argentina by 20 points. It was no fluke since the Spaniards were clearly superior in every facet of the game – offensively and defensively.
Our Ph National Team program can learn lessons from the Spanish team. The core of the team- Rubio, Fernandez and Gasol – and their coaching staff were practically the same as their 2006 FIBA champion team – 13 years earlier. And the Spanish national team – 13 years earlier.
The Spanish national team is essentially intact playing in the European Cup, the Olympics and FIBA. And one can see in their outstanding plays, passes, shooting, rebounding, that they’ve played together for many, many, games.
In contrast, the GILAS PH team was composed of selected PBA stars and coaches with a very limited practice and playing time together.
It may have been better if we chose the current PBA champ – SMB and its coaches to form the CORE of the team. SMB’s first 6 can be reinforced by selected players. But the SMB coaching staff with its proven playing system is retained. I’m saying that while this may be a better GILAS PH team, I don’t believe that it has a chance against the top 30 teams and there were only 32.
Improving ph basketball
1. Basketball is – and will always be – a TEAM sport. Our national team should be the best TEAM and its coaching staff – reinforced by a SELECTION of players. Thus, the coaches’ system of TEAM plays are intact. It’s almost impossible for a SELECTION of STARS and SELECTION of COACHES to compete against national teams that have played together under the same coaching staff – for years. The disaster of the USA and PH teams are grim examples, unlike the success of Spain and Argentina.
2. Having said all of the above, let’s abandon sending teams to the Olympics and FIBA. We have NO chance, zilch, nada. The competition is much superior — taller, faster, heftier, better 3-pt shooters better lay-up drivers. Better dribblers, better rebounders. Better in all facets of the game.
Let’s face it — we Fiipinos are not suitable for INTERNATIONAL basketball. Let’s just stay HOME — and enjoy our own style of play. I’m happy watching NCAA, UAAP, MPBL, D-LEAGUE, PBA. I’m NOT happy seeing our Gilas PH being MASSACRED.
Correcting the Bureau of Corrections
1. What’s needed is the full MILITARIZATION from TOP-to-BOTTOM. Appointing an ex-general to head the BuCor is pointless if his personnel are all CIVILIANS. A COMPLETE REVAMP is needed.
2. ABOLISH the GCTA law. If its objective is to DE-CONGEST our jails, there are more effective ways: a. ENLARGE or BUILD new jails; b. presidential PARDON for most of the prisoners 60+ old in MINIMUM security; c. PAROLE for prisoners in minimum and MEDIUM security; d. ISOLATE all in the maximum-security in a remote island in the WOS; e.DEATH PENALTY for ALL heinous-crime convicts; f. REGIONALIZE bilibid — DAPECOL has over 7,000 hectares leased for bananas.
3. HOSPITAL stays — if not in NGP hospitals — should be in MILITARY hospitals — in a NO-CELLPHONE and NO-SIGNAL area.
