With or without its star player in Wael Arakji, Gilas Pilipinas will still go hard when it battles Lebanon in the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Friday at the Philippine Arena.
Gilas coach Chot Reyes the looming absence of Arakji will hardly affect their preparation for the prestigious tourney that serves as a gateway to the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila next year.
Reports have it that the Lebanese squad already departed Beirut without the crafty swingman, who broke the hearts of the Filipinos in their fourth window encounter last November.
Aside from Arakji, the FIBA Asia Cup Most Valuable Player who earned an National Basketball Association Summer League invite with the Dallas Mavericks in 2019, also missing in Lebanon’s final roster were veteran Ali Haidar as well as naturalized player Jonathan Arledge former NBA player Norvel Pelle.
Arakji, Haidar and Pelle were all part of the initial 24-man pool that Lebanon submitted to the International Basketball Federation.
After playing in Bulacan, the Lebanese will wrap up their campaign in the qualifiers with a crucial match with New Zealand in Auckland.
Still, Reyes knows that the Lebanese remain a solid force to be reckoned with.
“We’re playing the best team in Asia,” Reyes said, saying that the Lebanese had already dislodged Iran and China as the top squad in Asia.
“Lebanon finished second in the last FIBA Asia Cup against Australia and Australia is not in Asia, so for me, the No. 1 team in Asia today is Lebanon. This is a good test for us.”
In their previous encounter, the Lebanese gave the Filipinos a tough challenge with the 28-year-old Arakji burying clutch baskets to seal an 85-81 victory.
The Filipinos paraded a powerhouse cast bannered by NBA player Jordan Clarkson, rising star Kai Sotto, Philippine Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson and Dwight Ramos.
Reyes said it’s no longer the case this time as Sotto and Clarkson will no longer be around as well as mainstays Japeth Aguilar, Carl Tamayo, Roger Pogoy, Raymond Almazan and Poy Erram.
“We have a different team then, facing Lebanon, we have Kai (Sotto), we have Jordan (Clarkson) and now, we don’t have any of those guys. It’s going to be a good test for the rest of the guys,” Reyes said.
Gilas assistant coach Jong Uichico sees a very strong Lebanese squad despite missing some of its top players.
“There will be changes in the dynamics of the team without Arakji and their naturalized player. But we expect some familiar and new faces,” said Uichico, who serves as Gilas Pilipinas’ chief scout.
“For example, (Sergio) El Darwich, Lebanon’s naturalized player, will be back. He missed the game the last time we played them but he’ll be able to come back.”
“We cannot take Lebanon or any other team lightly because anything can happen in an international tournament that is being played in one game.”
Justin Brownlee, who will suit up as the country’s naturalized player, said they are facing a very formidable opponent despite the absence of Arakji and other stars.
“It’s my first time and I’m definitely excited,” said Brownlee, who played as an import for Al-Riyadi Beirut in the Lebanese League.
“I’m a little bit nervous, butterflies in my stomach, but I think I’m ready to go. I played against some of the players in the Lebanon national team. It’s a good team and I’m looking forward to that brewing rivalry. Jordan, too, is a tough team. In the past, they’re getting better and better.”
But more than thinking about the opponents, Reyes and his coaching staff are trying to figure out a way on how they could perform in the absence of their rim protectors like Erram, Aguilar, Tamayo and naturalized player Ange Kouame.
“We would like to take a look at the new guys at how they can fit in. Justin is joining us for the first time and going to play for this group, so we want to take a look at how that goes and again, to see if there’s any growth or any development from the previous,” Reyes said.
“And then, finally, to see how we’re going to fare with our big men, without our rim protectors. We’ll never know. When the World Cup comes, we’ll never know who’s going to be available. This is going to be a good test for us.”
