After Gilas Pilipinas fell to France, 93-84, in Day 1 of the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, Philippines, center Andray Blatche said the squad must do whatever it takes to stay alive in the competition.
“We just have to win, by any means necessary,” Blatche said on Tuesday.
Blatche led the Philippines with 21 points on 7-for-14 shooting and eight rebounds. The former Brooklyn Net scored 14 in the first quarter alone, helping Gilas build a 28-18 cushion.
“We fought hard. We got up by 10 points,” Blatche said.
France, however, fought back and took control of the second half behind the stellar play of the team’s starting backcourt.
Nando De Colo fired 27 points, along with six rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Tony Parker chipped in 21 points to go with six assists.
“We got selfish. Our instincts got us that 10-point lead. We started getting undisciplined on defense and on offense,” said the 29-year-old, naturalized Filipino. “France, they just kept on playing and attacking us.”
While disappointed, Blatche said it would be better for Gilas to move forward and try their best to keep their Olympic hopes alive.
“We feel disappointed with ourselves, but we still have another chance to come out and prove to our fans that we still have a chance to go to Rio.”
