PARANG inamin na rin ni Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 head trainor Stefan Stojacic na mahihirapang makaabante sa 2020 Tokyo Olympic Qualifying Tournament ang Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 team.
Ayon kay Stojacic, 2018 FIBA 3X3 World Tour Most Valuable Player at naging coach ng China, matinding trabaho ang kailangang daanan ng pambansang koponan na sasabak sa 2020 Tokyo OQT na gaganapin sa Bengaluru, India halos isang buwan na lang mula ngayon.
“There is a lot of work to be done because of their lack of experience in playing 3×3 and how the game is different than 5-on-5. We have a month more to prepare them for the 3×3 game,” wika ni Stojacic. “They are for sure going to be a competitive team, but the OQT is going to be really hard. A lot of work in front of us.”
Nadismaya si Stojacic sa Gilas 3×3 na binubuo nina Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, CJ Perez, at Mo Tautuaa matapos ang 13-16 loss ng team sa tuneup game kontra All-Star team ng Vrbas nina Marko Brankovic (world no. 50), Ralja’s Nebojsa Kilijan (75), Belgrade’s Vladimir Trajkovic (116), at ex-Basilan import Marcus Hammonds (US no. 16) sa Mandaluyong.
Ngunit nabawasan ang kanyang pag-aalala dahil kumpleto ang team sa praktis. “This is the first practice that we have all the players that are part of the OQT. I am happy about that because it is still one month before the tournament. I think we still have enough time to cover everything.”
Iginiit ni Stojacic na iba ang level of play sa 30th Southeast Asian Games kung saan nanalo ng gintong medalya ang Pilipinas, kumpara sa matira-matibay na komeptisyon sa Bengaluru, India simula Marso 18 hanggang 22.
“CJ and Mo are new players in 3×3. They played in the SEA Games, but that tournament is totally different from the international level of playing 3×3.”
Ngunit tiwala naman si Stojacic na madaling makapag-aadjust ang dalawa. “But they have quality, very good players. Now, we have to change their mind set to the physicality and level of 3×3.” (ANN ENCARNACION)
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