Gilas Pilipinas aims to recover from a tough loss when they face South Korea for the second time in the Hana Bank Invitational at the Suwon KT Sonic Boom Arena on Sunday, September 6.
Taking advantage of a rare chance to field a full squad against a top Asian contender, the Nationals are determined to showcase noticeable adjustments following an 81-55 blowout defeat in their opening matchup.
Showing clear signs of a newly assembled unit, the Philippines struggled to establish rhythm on both ends of the floor, failing to counter the size and execution of a South Korean squad that has trained together continuously since the FIBA windows.
After falling into an early double-digit deficit, Gilas briefly closed the gap to 21-18, but the host team relied on its offensive depth to regain control and pull away comfortably in the fourth quarter.
Despite the setback, the Philippine side saw strong performances from Justine Baltazar, who tallied a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Adrian Nocum, who added 10 points and four boards.
Significant fine-tuning remains necessary for the guard rotation, as Robert Bolick was held to two points, four rebounds, and five assists, while the trio of Sedrick Barefield, RJ Abarrientos, and Jerrick Ahanmisi combined for just seven points.
On defense, the Nationals must contain sharpshooter Lee Jung-hyun, who erupted for 27 points behind seven three-pointers, while maintaining their defensive pressure on NBA Summer League veteran Lee Hyun-jung, whom they restricted to six points in the first game.