The Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 teams discovered on Friday that sometimes the basket simply refuses to cooperate. Both squads lost their final games at the Asian Games in Japan, with the women salvaging silver while the men were denied a place on the podium.
The women fell to host Japan, 21-11, in the gold-medal match, ending a campaign that had promised more after their emphatic 19-8 semifinal victory over South Korea.
Offense deserted Gilas at precisely the wrong moment. Kacey dela Rosa carried much of the load with six points, while Kennan Ka added three and Amyah Espanol two. But Gilas went a dismal 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, while Japan made seven of 16 two-point attempts.
In 3×3, that is not merely a shooting discrepancy. It is the difference between having a scoreboard problem and having a scoreboard strategy.
The silver nevertheless gives the Filipinas a podium finish after a run that put them within one game of the Asian Games crown.
For the men, the final chapter was considerably harsher. After being relegated to the bronze-medal match, Gilas was overwhelmed by Iran, 21-10, ending its medal hopes.
David Dungo led the Filipinos with four points, including one 2-point conversion from three attempts. Manuel Pablo added three, Nic Cabenero scored two, and Koji Buenaflor managed one.
The numbers were unforgiving. Gilas reached only 10 points while Iran hit the target 21 points, turning what should have been a medal match into a long lesson in the mathematics of missed opportunities.
Two teams, two defeats, two very different endings.
For the women, silver was something to carry home. For the men, there was only the scoreboard to stare at and wonder what might have been.
