Sasha Djordjevic aims to build upon China’s maiden victory in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 as Team Dragon prepares to face Gilas Pilipinas this Saturday in Group M of the classification stage.
Just under 24 hours after witnessing his team’s 107-89 blowout defeat by Puerto Rico, Djordjevic guided the Chinese squad to an 83-76 triumph over Angola. This win marked the end of a winless streak, during which they suffered three consecutive losses in the group phase, providing them with a foundation for progress.
Although Djordjevic has a history with Gilas, his current focus is squarely on assisting his present team in securing another triumph in this tournament.
“It was a different World Cup. It’s not the same team and I’m now (the) coach of China. We are going to prepare our guys to front the Philippines in the best way like we try to do to help them to be ready for the game,” said the former Bayern Munich head coach.
“That’s the only thing I can do. I’m focusing on my players. I’m focusing to get them some freshness to recover their bodies and that’s what we’re going to do. Tomorrow, we’ll think about our opponent, who we respect a lot.”
Similar to the host nation of this competition, China is diligently striving to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Team Dragon requires another victory and must rely on other Asian nations faltering, to secure the highest ranking in the continent.
Djordjevic acknowledges that facing Gilas will be a formidable challenge, especially given the home team’s advantage of having tens of thousands of fans behind them during the match.
“We know it’s gonna be a tough game in front of the home crowd and (we’ll) just go for it, just go for it. Obviously, it’s important to go on our road towards our goal for the pass for the Olympics. It depends also on the other teams and what they’ll do,” he said.
“We’ll just have to wait but I think we’ll be ready to play at our best.”
The upcoming Saturday showdown between China and the Philippines promises an intense contest between these two continental rivals. Undoubtedly, there will be underlying political dynamics between the nations, yet the focus will primarily be on basketball.
As an athlete, Djordjevic is raring to compete. Such matches are what those at the highest echelons of sports eagerly anticipate being a part of.
“Boosted the opportunities and we are thrilled. That’s what we work for. That’s what we’re waiting. Like I said, every next game is the most important game of our lives,” said the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist.
“That’s how I front every game. That’s how it’s gonna be.”
