Philippines, 12 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Gilas had got nothing to hide or give


PhilBoxing.com




THE defeat was hard to take, especially after what had been glowingly said about the Gilas Pilipinas team?s secluded build-up camp that closed in Cebu on Sunday.

The fall of the national basketball squad against Fiba Asia tournament first-timer Palestine was not a simple shocker.
It was an all-revealing setback that has made fans and experts alike wonder what exactly took place behind closed doors during the well-publicised seclusion.

There was dismay, if not outright disenchantment.

**

For example, what gave Gilas coach Tad Baldwin the gall to state after the mysterious cramming sessions that they would next be out to take control and be dominant in the continental Olympic qualifying tournament that started in Changsha, China yesterday.
For the record, Baldwin had himself openly admitted that his team was not yet ready for the Olympic qualifying test by the end of the four-team MVP Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sept 13.

In fact, in the national team?s match against the Wellington Saints on Sept. 12, Gilas was a distressed outfit. It was being outjumped, outhuslted, outshot for over three quarters, until peppery Terence Romeo scored four unplanned three-point baskets at crunch time.

**

Gilas? naturalized center Andray Blatche, by the way, was anomalously overweight during the MVP Cup, a sorry state of health that led certain pundits to comment the NBA veteran appeared as though he was on the family way.

However everybody, from the team?s chief patron and supporter Manny V. Pangilinan, down to school and street kids who thrilled to the Gilas team victories in the MVP Cup, went with Baldwin once he emerged with his team from the Cebu camp and declared they won?t let the country down.

Now, it?s time to ask: What did Baldwin lend to or inflict on his team, listed as oldest outfit in the China tournament, that had led him to allege the national squad had instantly become superfit.

**

Meanwhile, great expectations would be further fueled with the announcement by Baldwin that Blatche, who did great sacrifices by training doubly hard and going on a soup-and-vegetable diet in Cebu, would be ready to lead the Gilas national team in the Fiba Asia war.

With the reported return to great form by Blatche, there were even suggestions the celebrated Gilas reinforcement should take care not to flash his full worth in the preliminary round of the Fiba Asia tournament. He must take care not to show all his skills and strength.

It was indeed a thrill how Blatche, handsome and trim, soared, scored and dominated in the first quarter of the game against a Palestine team, which showed up with a limited bench.

**

A magnificent first quarter which saw coah Baldwin gleefully rotating his men gave Gilas an early 16-point lead.

It was starting to appear very much like a mere tune-up.
But Palestine held on gallantly. The Fiba league first-timer refused to be rushed. It tried to stand its ground. It countered quietly, while a fast-tiring Gilas outfit, that was supposed to hold its punches , faltered and failed even as it gave its huffing-puffing best in the clutches.

Sorry, but in that fall against Palestine , Gilas, soft and shallow, had got nothing real to hide or give.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA
    , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis)
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • 4 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • FIGHT EMPIRE! TUAZON, ADOR, DE BARBO, JOMAR, AND MORE ARE READY FOR ACTION IN BRICO SANTIG'S EXCITING SHOW JULY 12 IN THAILAND
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Shakur Stevenson and David Morrell Face "Crossroad Fights" This Saturday in Queens
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin’s “Mayhem in Music City 2” to Feature Undefeated Vic Hernandez Facing Jayvon Garnett for NABA & Jr. NABF Featherweight Championships
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • James Perkins & Anthony Andreozzi Headlines “Oceanside Prize Fights”
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • GORST PURSUES GOLDEN GLORY IN JEDDAH, DEFENDING WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN SAUDI ARABIA, 21–26 JULY
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Hovhannisyan and Barrientes Set for High-Stakes Showdowns July 18 on DAZN
    , Tue, 08 Jul 2025
  • UNBEATEN PROSPECT KENNETH LLOVER TO FACE FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION LUIS CONCEPCION IN MANILA
    , Mon, 07 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.