Gilas' Chot Reyes explains Kai Sotto's limited minutes against Dominican Republic

Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes explained the coaching staff's decision to sit Kai Sotto out for the majority of their 87-81 loss to the Dominican Republic, saying the other big men were just playing great games.

Sotto came off the bench and checked into the game with 4:04 left in the opening period. But the 7-foot-3 center picked up two quick fouls and had to sub out after just one minute and 13 seconds of play.

But with Sotto out, Gilas' other bigs stepped up big time as young gun AJ Edu and veteran June Mar Fajardo held their own against Dominican Republic's NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns.

"He (Sotto) picked up two quick fouls so we had to get him out right away and then we couldn't get him back in because this guy to my left (Edu) was playing a great game," Reyes shared in the press conference.

"I think that's the reason why he's here. He was playing really, really well."

Fajardo and Edu brought out their A-games against the visitors with the former collecting 16 markers and seven boards while the latter churned out seven points and five rebounds in the losing effort.

With how both were playing, and given what was at stake in the game, there just wasn't an opportunity to bring Sotto back into the game.

"And if we get him (Sotto) in, then the other guy I have to sit is a guy named June Mar Fajardo, who had 16 points in 28 minutes," Reyes added.

"I'm sure a lot of people are going to wonder why but between sitting AJ and Kai and June Mar, there was just no opportunity and the match-ups just didn't favor Kai."

Still, Reyes expects Sotto to get more minutes in their next games against Angola on Sunday and Italy on Tuesday.

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"But again, in the next game and in the game after, we should be able to see more of him."

—JMB, GMA Integrated News