The Philippines’ national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, continues its winless streak in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, hosted in the country.
Following a disheartening 87-68 loss to World Cup newcomer South Sudan, the team is officially out of contention for the sole Asian slot for direct qualification to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Head Coach Chot Reyes assumed full responsibility for the team’s lackluster performance.
“I have already said that I’m really sorry that we were not able to deliver and I take full accountability,” Reyes stated in the post-game press conference.
This year marks the team’s third consecutive appearance in the global tournament. While they managed a single win in the 2014 World Cup, they were unable to secure any victories in 2019, finishing last among the 32 participating teams.
With only one game remaining in the classification phase against China, the chances of ending this year’s campaign with a win are dwindling.
Reyes was clear that the time for “learning experiences” has passed.
“This was a time for us to win and execute. The learning was supposed to happen way back. This was the time for us to win. And like I said, we didn’t get the job done,” he added.
Despite the disappointing performance, Reyes had words of encouragement for the younger players on the team, including AJ Edu, Dwight Ramos, and Kai Sotto.
“They definitely grew from this experience and learned a lot. There’s a lot to look forward to for those guys,” he said.
The Philippines’ final game against China will determine if the team will avoid another winless World Cup campaign.