Gilas Pilipinas head tactician Chot Reyes knows the magnitude of their court clash with the Dominican Republic on the opening day of the 2023 FIBA World Cup at the 55,000-seater Philippine arena in Bulacan.
This is why he hopes that the home crowd will give Gilas the much-needed emotional boost when they tangle with the Karl Anthony-Towns-bannered Dominicans.
“The crowd will be a big factor to be able to help us,” said Reyes a day before their much-awaited first game in the World Cup.
When asked about their chances, Reyes said it does not really matter at this level of competition.
The Dominican Republic is at No. 23, 17 places higher than the Filipinos.
“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing. Your chances are going to be very difficult. The competition is very tough, and if you start thinking about chances, it’s really not useful,” he said.
“We’re focusing on things within our control. Focusing on preparing, scouting Dominicans as much as we can, see their tendencies. We’re putting a lot of effort into perfecting our offense.
“(But) one thing is for sure: we’ll really need the help and support of the crowd so we’ll be able to punch above our weight.”
