Gilas Pilipinas now find themselves in must-win territory in the 20th Asian Games after losing their opening game to Bahrain, 89-85, at the Aichi International Arena. Next up for the team are Kazakhstan, who are also in need of a win after absorbing a heavy 99-61 beating from China on Friday.
The good news, for lack of a better term, is that Kazakhstan are one of the few teams that didn’t take full advantage of the Asian Games’ lax rules on eligibility. Meaning, the team is composed entirely of homegrown talent, much like Gilas Pilipinas in this tournament.
It doesn’t mean Tim Cone and company can overlook the Kazakhs, though.
Why Kazakhstan Can Pose Problems
Even without naturalized reinforcements, Kazakhstan could play spoiler to Gilas Pilipinas, mostly because they have some size up front. Veteran big man Vladimir Ivanov is 6-foot-10 and is a stable anchor, having averaged 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds for his country across 22 FIBA games. His frontcourt partner, Askar Maydekin, is 6-foot-9 and can score and rebound at a high enough level.
Not coincidentally, these two bigs were Kazakhstan’s main contributors in that loss to China, with Maydekin finishing with 11 points and Ivanov adding 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks.
That size matters given how Gilas Pilipinas struggled defending Bahrain’s big frontcourt of Jakarr Sampson (6-foot-9), Elijah Thomas (6-foot-9), and Uros Ilic (6-foot-10). Tim Cone himself admitted as much, telling reporters after that Bahrain loss, “We had a hard time with their size… We had a hard time defending their size, forced us to collapse down on their bigs because we were undersized and that either allowed them to score inside or allowed them to kick out for three-point shots…”
Ivanov and Maydekin may be a level below Sampson and Thomas, but they could potentially pose the same challenges to Gilas Pilipinas, especially if guards Rustam Murzagaliyev, Shaim Kuanov, and Daniil Severgin get some rhythm from deep.
Outlook vs. Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, much like Bahrain, could be a tricky proposition for Gilas Pilipinas, mostly because their best players can challenge the nationals’ lack of ceiling up front. However, the Kazakhs’ lack of proven playmakers and knockdown shooters should at least offset whatever size advantage Ivanov and Maydekin bring.
So, the best bet here is that Gilas Pilipinas, this time playing with a backs-against-the-wall urgency, gets the job done versus Kazakhstan.
Tip-off for Gilas Pilipinas against Kazakhstan is at 6:00 p.m. later tonight at the Aichi International Arena.
