The Philippines is coming off an impressive 107-96 win against Lebanon.
Tomorrow at the Philippine Arena, Gilas Pilipinas will face Team Jordan, who’s aching to avenge their 66-74 defeat last November. But after having what is arguably their best performance in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, the hosts are coming into the game as the favorites.
But what are the chances we will see an encore from coach Chot Reyes and his wards? To help us find the answer, let’s check out the numbers from Gilas vs Jordan last year as well as the latest outing of Team Philippines.
12 percent from deep
In their preceding bout against Gilas, the Jordanians shot a measly 3-of-25 from deep. This is clearly a good sign for the home team, but they need to tough it out in the paint as Jordan will likely try to pound it inside. So, June Mar Fajardo, Justin Brownlee, and Jamie Malonzo must slow down that 6-foot-11 behemoth in Ahmad Al Dwairi.
46 to 40 rebounding edge
Gilas outrebounded Jordan in their previous match. But the former had Kai Sotto back then, plus Scottie Thompson went berserk and grabbed 13 boards. Fortunately for the Filipino side, the reigning PBA MVP is likely to have another big game considering he’s playing in front of his countrymen.
16 Jordanian fastbreak points against Gilas’ 6
This time, Gilas might not get away with letting Jordan have more fastbreak points than them. Just like last Friday when they took down Lebanon, Gilas will play small against the Jordanians. It is a must for Team Philippines to secure the advantage in transition offense unlike in their November encounter.
Against the Cedars two days ago, The Filipinos converted 29 points from turnovers, while also running down their opponents. Gilas ended up with 13 fastbreak buckets, while Lebanon had 6. They need to do the same against Jordan to go 2-0 in the sixth window.
+20 in efficiency
Gilas’ new reinforcement Justin Brownlee led his crew in efficiency, tallying 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals against Lebanon. The stellar numbers aren’t just a reflection of the naturalized Filipino’s talent but also the great chemistry he has with his teammates. Getting a similar stat line against Jordan while maintaining that unimpeded energy flow within the entire team should lead to success.
17 three-pointers
Gilas torched Lebanon to get the convincing W on Friday. If the Filipino contingent once again drains 17 three-balls or something around the vicinity, then there’ll be no road win for Team Jordan tomorrow. It’s splash equals sweep for Gilas Pilipinas.