PBA legend Jerry Codiñera impressed with young Gilas team

Philippine basketball legend Jerry Codiñera threw praises to Gilas Pilipinas and head coach Tab Baldwin for their masterful outing during the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in Clark.

Codiñera, who had previously coached Arellano University's men's basketball team in the NCAA, said he was particularly in awe of what the young and inexperienced Gilas squad did despite a short period of preparation.

"Their wins there were impressive because imagine they didn't have any pocket tournaments with Tab Baldwin gambling on those guys," Codiñera said in a mix of Filipino and English on 'Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96' on Sunday.

Codiñera admitted that he had doubts at first if Baldwin's decision to field amateur players would work in a competition where elite national teams were featured.

"There were many questions because they are still young. 'Can they do it?'" Codiñera recalled.

"But with Tab Baldwin's wisdom, he can find a way to win and to make things happen for these kids. He finds ways to make it simple and understandable for Gilas. It was really mission accomplished."

The Filipinos swept the whole qualifiers which culminated in them essaying a pair of victories against archrival South Korea and one against Indonesia in the third window.

They will now duke it out in the FIBA Asia Cup this August in Jakarta.

Watch 'Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96' on GTV which airs every weekday (3:00 p.m.), Saturdays (4:30 p.m.), and Sundays (5:05 p.m.) on GTV.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News