PBA top guns and Gilas veterans Terrence Romeo and Jayson Castro have had their shining moments in a FIBA Olympic Qualification Tournament, making waves before the cheering home crowd in 2016.
President Rodrigo Duterte had just won the election and did the honors of making the ceremonial toss in the Philippine-France setto where Romeo and Castro combined for 33 points while alternating at the point guard spot.
June Mar Fajardo, Jeff Chan, Troy Rosario had solid contributions as Gilas put up fighting showing versus France, 84-93, and New Zealand, 80-89.
Other PBA players serving duty in the qualification tourney for the Rio Games were Gabe Norwood, Ryan Reyes, Marc Pingris, Japeth Aguilar and Ranidel de Ocampo with naturalized player Andray Blatche and then amateur standout Bobby Ray Parks.
The young guns of coach Tab Baldwin hope to at least replicate if not surpass the brave stand of their Gilas kuyas as they set out for battle versus Serbia and the Dominican Republic in the coming Belgrade OQT.
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It's a tough mission to gatecrash the Tokyo Games, and Baldwin said he would be happy that they take lessons in what could be real acid tests in Belgrade.
"It's going to be a grind for 40 minutes and we're going to need every guy on the bench. In the end, who knows how the game plays out? I'm sure we'll take many lessons from the game," Baldwin said.
Castro and Co. made courageous home stand but came up short in the end against the French and the Kiwis.
Tony Parker and his teammates beat the Canadians, 83-74, in the Manila OQT finals and brought their stuff to the 2016 Rio Games.
Romeo had his moments versus Parker as the 5-foot-10 Filipino guard scattered 19 markers including 3-of-5 three-pointers.
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Castro also did well as the starting point guard, collecting 14 points, three assists and one rebound.
But Parker was for real, leading the Les Bleus with 21 points, six dish-offs and four boards.
Versus the Kiwis, Castro fired 13 markers with Chan and Fajardo adding 11 apiece.(SB)
