HONG KONG — Kai Sotto played a peripheral role as Gilas Pilipinas opened its FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 campaign on home soil with an 87-81 defeat at the hands of the Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
The former Adelaide 36ers big man only saw a total of a minute and 13 seconds of playtime in the entire game. He replaced captain Japeth Aguilar at the 4:04 mark of the first quarter. Minnesota Timberwolves standout Karl-Anthony Towns then sensed an opportunity and immediately attacked the former Ateneo Blue Eaglet’s defense.
The first foul at the 3:26 mark allowed Towns to convert a free throw, while the second one with 2:51 left in the period let Towns complete an and-1 play, giving the Los Quisqueyanos a 17-11 cushion.
Sotto did not see any further action and managed only one block during his brief time on the floor. He also had a -4 rating during the stretch when he played.
“Kai picked up two quick fouls, so we had to take him out right away. We couldn’t put him back in because this guy to my left (AJ Edu) was playing a great game. I think that’s the reason why he’s here, right?” said Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes.
“Edu was playing really, really well, and if we put Kai in, then the other guy I have to bench is June Mar Fajardo, who scored 16 points in 28 minutes.”
It was indeed a disappointing evening for the 21-year-old, who plays for the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the Japan B.League. His addition to the lineup came with much fanfare and even controversy due to concerns about his fitness.
Ultimately, athletes, even the best ones, tend to fall short, even in the biggest matches. Thankfully for Sotto, he still has chances to bounce back, as this loss should not mark the end of Gilas’ quest to bring pride to the country on home soil.
“I’m sure a lot of people are going to wonder why, but between benching AJ and June Mar, there was simply no opportunity. The matchups just didn’t favor Kai. However, in the next game and the game after that, you should be able to see more of him,” said Reyes.
“There’s a reason why Karl-Anthony Towns is an NBA All-Star. Still, we can’t complain about the effort from June Mar and AJ Edu as well, as they defended and tried to stop KAT as much as they could.”
