Gilas Pilipinas head coach Coach Yeng Guiao (R) (MB photo | Rio Leonelle Deluvio)

by Jonas Terrado

Coach Yeng Guiao said coping with the physicality of the international game is something Gilas Pilipinas needs to master as it enters the final stage of preparation for the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers which begins this week.

The need for adjustments was evident as far as Guiao is concerned after Gilas got into heated exchanges against Jordan and Lebanon in their three tune-up games ahead of the crucial stage of the qualifiers.

Gilas was playing Lebanon last night at the Meralco gym in the final game of the exhibition series.

The Philippines host Kazakhstan on Nov. 30 and Iran on Dec. 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“We still need a few games to get used to the physicality,” Guiao said. “We couldn’t execute, we kept losing our timing and we kept losing our rhythm pag binabangga-bangga na tayo. We’re actually waiting for the referees to bail us out but it does not happen in the international game or style.

“We have less than a week before we play Kazakhstan and I’m hoping that the time is enough for us to get used to the different brand of game. It’s physicality in the PBA is difference from the physicality of the international game.”

The big guns have been added for the fifth window which could determine whether Gilas can secure qualification to the 2019 World Cup in China.

The Philippines is currently third in Group F with a 5-3 record, trailing leader Australia (7-1) and Iran (6-2) and ahead of closest pursuer Japan (4-4).

Kazakhstan is at fourth with 3-5 while Qatar is at the bottom of the group with 2-6.

Tags: Coach Yeng Guiao , FIBA WORLD , FIBA World Cup , FIBA World Cup qualifier , Gilas Pilipinas , Kazakhstan