Gilas Pilipinas guard Scottie Thompson gained valuable experience from their tuneup game against Finland.
The Philippine national team fell short against the European squad, losing 89-85. However, Thompson has identified areas they should focus on to adapt to the international style of play.
The 2021–2022 PBA MVP emphasized that Gilas should learn to start strong against international teams. This was evident in their match against Finland, where they trailed by 18 points in the first half.
“’Yun talaga ‘yung kailangan ma-learn namin. From the start, kailangan all-out na agad,” Thompson said in an interview with One Sports.
“Kasi international, gano’n, first two minutes, parang second half na sila maglaro. Sana makuha namin ‘yung gano’ng style of play,” he added.
Thompson also highlighted that their tuneup games against European teams should serve as good preparation for Gilas in the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup.
“Hopefully, itong training camp na ‘to, malaki ang maitulong sa’min coming sa World Cup. And talagang tini-take advantage namin ‘to,” said Thompson. (Mark Patriarca)
