Once again, the meaning of “to help” is “to battle” in the annual PBA All-Star Game.
One team brings that mindset into the keenly awaited match highlighting the 2014 PBA All-Star Week festivities at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Sunday.
Barely salvaging a tie the last time in Digos, Davao del Sur, Gilas Pilipinas is again expected to face an extremely tough challenge against a PBA All-Star selection determined to push the Nationals to the wall.
Game time is at 5 p.m.
“I’ll try very hard to tell the guys let’s do something else, something noble. Let’s not think about ourselves but to help Gilas better in preparation for the World Cup,” said coach Tim Cone.
The PBA All Stars look ready to respond.
“We’re surely be doing our part,” said Ginebra rookie behemoth Greg Slaughter, a longtime mainstay of the Gilas Pilipinas I under Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.
“Ang tema ng All-Stars na ito eh tulungan ang Gilas. So dapat gawin namin ang parte namin. We have to give them a good fight,” said San Mig Coffee guard Mark Barroca, another former national player.
“We’ll do our part. We’ll make the fans happy and do our best to give Gilas a good game,” said perennial All-Star player James Yap.
Slaughter, Barroca, Yap, Chris Ellis and Mac Baracael make up Cone’s starting unit. Coming off the bench are Arwind Santos, Calvin Abueva, Marcio Lassiter, Sonny Thoss, Joe Devance, Nino Canaleta and PJ Simon.
Arwind Santos and the other members of PBA select team did their job last year, nearly embarrassing the national squad. Gilas merely salvaged a 124-all tie on a final second three-pointer by Jeff Chan.
The Nationals, however, had gone to work on things needed done after the 2013 PBA All-Stars and, in August, made a successful run in the Asian meet that rewarded them a ticket to the coming world joust in Spain.
Gilas will be back in action for the first time after that glorious 11 nights in August, and the Nationals hope to make this All-Star Game a good takeoff point for their World Cup buildup.
Gilas’ target in its Spanish jaunt is at least two wins in group play to make the second round. The Philippines is grouped with Argentina, Greece, Puerto Rico, Croatia and Senegal.
“(It’s a) good opportunity for us to get together again since last August, but I’m not really expecting much,” said Gilas coach Chot Reyes.
But Cone insists they will come out and try to push the Nationals to the limit.
“It’s not going to be fun. It’s going to be serious. It will be a battle,” said Cone. “Our team is here for two reasons. One is for the fans. We want to represent ourselves well. Second, we’re here for Gilas. We’re here to get them better.” (SB)
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