Sneaky2021
Member
A decade ago, former Gilas naturalized player Andray Blatche had the thrilling ride of his basketball career when he first played for the Philippine national squad during the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Seville, Spain. Then a 28-year-old power forward fresh out of the Brooklyn Nets, the 6-foot-11 Blatche recalled how he and the rest of the national squad did "some of the most unheard of" moments as they battled the likes of world powerhouse basketball squads like Argentina, Croatia, Puerto Rico and Greece. "Honestly, out of all the years I played basketball, what we [were] doing were some of the most unheard of and amazing things I've seen in my whole career. The Philippines, playing in the World Cup in my first year," Blatche said during a recent guest appearance at former NBA champion Dwight Howard's podcast Above the Rim. "Imagine me, it's me, and all Filipino guys, just playing with heart, playing against Greece, Italy, everybody. And we're taking everybody to the wire," he added. The 2014 FIBA edition saw the Philippines give world-class national squads like Croatia, Greece, which then had a budding forward by the name of Giannis Antetokoumpo, and Argentina, a tough fight before eventually folding up during the group stage match. The Filipinos lost by just three points to the Croatians in overtime, bowed to the Greeks by 12, led during the opening period versus the Argentines, before folding up to lose, 85-81. Gilas also lost to JJ Barea and the Puerto Rican national squad by just four points.
