TEAM Pilipinas now will have to go on its own.
The Filipinos are not going to have the benefit of their so-called 'Sixth Man' when they face Kazakhstan Sunday night in their crucial final game in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
Since arriving in the Central Asia capital, members of the coaching staff admitted not having met even a single Filipino in the capital city of Astana.
"Wala pa kaming nakita or nakasalubong (na Pinoy)," said deputy coach Ryan Gregorio.
It's exactly a stark contrast in the team's last outing against Qatar where it obviously enjoyed homecourt advantage as Filipino fans filled up more than half of the Al-Gharafa Sports Club Multi-Purpose hall in Doha.
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The Filipinos went on and whipped the Qataris, 84-46.
But the absence of its 'Most Valuable Fans' serves as a big challenge to Team Pilipinas.
"Magandang pagsubok yan para sa team," acknowledged team assistant and advanced scout Sandy Arespacochaga. "Aasa kami ngayon sa isa't-isa. Pati na rin doon sa mga boss natin sa PBA na manonood."
It's a good thing that Team Pilipinas is coming off a dominant game against Qatar, something to boost the morale of the Filipinos against the host team, which beat them, 92-88, the last time they met at the Mall of Asia Arena on Nov. 30.
"Maganda yung laro natin (against Qatar), both offensively and defensively. At maganda yung teamwork natin, maraming players were given the chance to contribute and score," said Arespacochaga. (RG)
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