Coach Nestor Garcia and veteran Eloy Vargas from the Dominican Republic team are eagerly anticipating their clash against the host nation, the Philippines, in the opening match of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, scheduled to take place at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Ranked 23rd in the world, the Los Quisqueyanos are considered favorites, alongside 10th-ranked Italy, to progress from Group A, particularly due to their leadership by NBA standout Karl-Anthony Towns.
An obstacle they will encounter is the home team, Gilas Pilipinas, backed by an enthusiastic fanbase of tens of thousands.
Garcia shared, “I think that every one of us, when you start your career, your dream is to play in the World Cup with a lot of fans, against a lot of fans, against a good team.
“We are in a good moment right now because we qualified to the World Cup. We won in Central America. Our exhibition game we show a good level. We trust too much in ourselves.
“We trust too much in the way we play. We know that the Filipinos, when they play locally, they step up their level. Everything is about concentration. For us it’s very important, don’t bring the people to the game because you know they support the team. When you play good, you can win everywhere. We know that. You know that,” he added.
One player the Dominicans are cautious of is Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson. The 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is renowned for his scoring prowess. He is expected to play a central role in Gilas’ offense, not only as a scorer but also as a creator for his teammates.
Despite Clarkson’s reputation, the Los Quisqueyanos are not intimidated by his potential impact. Several players are already acquainted with his playing style, which is reassuring.
Vargas remarked, “Me and Jordan we played together in 2014 in the G League for the Lakers. So we know each other a little bit, I know he is a good shooter. He’s very athletic and fast.
“I’m excited to play everybody in the Philippines because this is why we came here to play. We’re not excited about any player. We watched and filmed everybody. So we focus on the whole team.”
In the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the Dominican Republic secured 16th place overall. With Towns now on their roster, expectations are high for an improved performance this time around.
Leading up to this World Cup, the Dominicans defeated Canada 94-88 in an international friendly, with Towns contributing 20 points and six rebounds. All eyes are on Towns to see if he can guide the team to a better outcome than before, and according to reports, he has integrated well with his teammates.
Garcia emphasized, “The most important thing is that he is (here) all day with us. He adapt too fast. He is very happy to represent Republica Dominicana because of his personal things you know, about his mother. He remembers his mother.
“He is very excited to come back to the country. The most important thing is that he is very humble. He is a star player in the NBA but he is very humble in the team. For that, the adaptation was really, really fast.”
