Ok, before going on with my report on Powerade Team Pilipinas-Korea game in the 31st William Jones Cup, which ended with a 83-80 loss for the Nationals, here’s a message to all Filipino basketball fans:

CHILL THE FUCK OUT.

SERIOUSLY.

Understand that this is basically training camp for Powerade Team Pilipinas, that they’re not really here to win, and that they’re using this to get to know their plays, get into shape, and get used to international play. The team is making good progress.

The Jones Cup doesn’t mean shit. In 2007, we played here as well, just like a bunch of other national teams who were preparing for the Fiba-Asia Olympic qualifiers. That year, Jordan won the Jones Cup and looked invincible. You know where they placed in the Fiba-Asia tournament? 5th.

Look, everyone wants to win. If I had it my way, I’ll have the Philippine team winning every game by 50 points. But this is the hand we’re dealt, and while it’s not ideal, we ought to keep looking at the bigger picture.

And the bigger picture is that on August 6, the tournament to qualify for next year’s World Basketball Championships start. If we make it out of the preliminary bracket, we can move on to the quarterfinals, and then who knows? The top three qualifiers will make it to the Worlds, and the tournament runs through August 16.

Are we playing our best basketball now? Of course not. Are we getting better? Yes. Are we going to be better by August 6? Absolutely. Does that mean we can make it out of the preliminary bracket, over Japan and Korea? I don’t know. But I like our chances.

Anyway, the game. Korea started with guns blazing in the first quarter, hitting two three-pointers in the early minutes, but Powerade Team Pilipinas inched closer at the break to cut the deficit, 22-17. The Nationals tightened the screws on defense and made a run in the second quarter to take the lead briefly, but Korea closed the half strongly to take a 3-point lead, 38-35.

Sloppy offense for the Philippines marked the start of the second half, as Korea raced out to a 56-42 lead. But a lineup composed of Willie Miller, James Yap, Arwind Santos, Ranidel de Ocampo, and Japeth Aguilar went on a 15-3 tear to end the third quarter on a high note, cutting the Korea lead to 59-57.

The two teams went toe-to-toe in the fourth quarter, with Korea holding on to a 2-point lead with under two minutes remaining. But the Koreans hit a dagger three in the ensuing possession, and the teams just exchanged baskets in the final seconds for the final score.

Oddly enough, I am heartened despite the loss, as Powerade Team Pilipinas played some of their best basketball so far in this game. In long stretches, depending on the lineup on the floor, the execution of the halfcourt offense was very crisp, something we haven’t seen up until this point. It looks like the team’s rhythm and chemistry are coming along. The lockdown defense was also brilliant in stretches. Now, the trick is finding away to do it more consistently.

I also don’t think Guiao really intended to win this game; for example, he put in an ice cold Cyrus Baguio with the game on the line. I’m not sure, but it sure looked like he took his foot off the gas pedal deliberately in that last minute.

One more thing: Gabe Norwood started the game at point for the team, alongside Baguio in the backcourt. It might be a sign that Ryan Reyes could be out of the lineup for the Fiba-Asia tournament.