AN 82-80 loss to China in the Asian Games is not a sorry defeat. For a national team with more than a week to practice and jell, the feat is more than a bonus. It excited us all to see a fighting ragtag team with Yeng Guiao as coach.
An underdog compared to the Asian giants in basketball, the RP squad gave them a fight. Imagine the look of Yao Ming if his team lost on Tuesday, August 22.
We lost our chance in the last one minute and 12 seconds when Erram missed a shot underneath which could have given us a five-point lead.
From there, Stanley Pringle was like a rocket attacking the lanky Chinese and knocking it in. But the last one was blocked and in the return play, the Chinese equalized. Pringle played hero and goat when he bungled a pass which led to China's advantage.
With no timeout left for Coach Yeng, the last one called to freeze a Chinese free throw attempt which was partially successful, a limping Jordan Clarkson returned. But he missed a jumper and was called for a reach-in foul. Paul Lee hit the rim a bit hard and the supposed winning shot from the arc bounced off. The Chinese rejoiced after getting the scariest game of their lives.
RP is in for the quarterfinals as it seemed impossible for Kazakhstan to beat China by more than 36 points. It is good news for us but the bad news is we are going to face the South Koreans who are more deadly than the Chinese from the three-point area.
Clarkson is a threat for SK having a 4 on 4 from the arc in the second half until he missed his fifth try. By then, the NBA star for the Philippine side may have his legs back.
We are winners now regardless of the outcome. Any RP basketball team can always compete internationally as long as Samahan ng Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) does not send lemons. Otherwise, we will drink lemonade to that.
