Back on February 3, 2022, the Filipinas qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
It was just four days after Chot Reyes returned to the Gilas Pilipinas program following the ouster of Tab Baldwin.
Since then, the two teams headed to diverging paths.
“Nakaka-inggit nga sila, they had eighteen months training, competing, and living together. That’s really the formula. I just hope… Perhaps it’s a suntok sa buwan wish na magkaroon tayo ng ganung situation,” Reyes told CNN Sportsdesk on Wednesday.
“Eighteen months preparation, yun talaga yung blueprint.”
Alen Stajcic, the head coach of the Filipinas, kept a mostly-intact pool in every competition they had — including the Southeast Asian Games, the AFF Women’s Championship, and friendly competitions.
Moreover, despite having 17 players playing in different parts of the world, gathering the team was not difficult as the leagues they play in followed the mandated FIFA international breaks.
Meanwhile, Reyes had to make do with “hybrid” rosters with a mixture of amateur, PBA stars, and overseas Filipino imports composing the squads that competed in the SEA Games, the FIBA Asia Cup, and the World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
It was also a struggle for him to have a defined roster as the PBA’s calendar did not call for stoppage during FIBA windows, resulting in players from TNT, Ginebra, and San Miguel; UAAP stars; and overseas imports playing for the majority of the cycle.
And during the one-month-to-go pep rally of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Reyes and the rest of Gilas could not help but adore the Filipinas’ stand against New Zealand.
“We had an event yesterday but we in the Gilas team, patago na nanonood sa aming mga phones because we were watching and groaning with every near goal. Ilang beses na muntik maka-goal yung New Zealand. Galing ng goalie natin. Tumama sa poste, sa taas,” he recalled.
Seeing the Filipinas keep up with giants in the world of football inspires Gilas.
Reyes hopes that the men’s basketball team can emulate the fight given by the country’s women’s football team on home soil.
“The victory of the Filipinas is giving us tremendous inspiration.
“Kung kaya ng ating kapwang manlalaro ng Pilipinas, kaya rin namin. And it’s giving us great inspiration. We showed them the game and said that this is what we can do,” he said.
