Asian Games: Robert Bolick urged to keep head up after Gilas setbacks

FILE– Robert Bolick during his stint with Gilas Pilipinas. –POC MEDIA

SCHEDULE: Gilas Pilipinas men at Asian Games 2026 5×5 basketball

MANILA, Philippines–NLEX coach Jimmy Alapag made sure Robert Bolick would get his message across after Gilas Pilipinas’ much-maligned showing in a two-game exhibition with South Korea raised doubts about its chances of retaining the gold in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

“I reached out to him after the second tune-up against Korea, and told him to keep his head up, to keep the guys together,” Alapag said after the Road Warriors’ 109-107 loss to the Blackwater Bossing in the PBA On Tour exhibition game in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

Gilas faced massive criticism from fans after it was blown out by an average of 26.5 points and never made things competitive during the series held in Suwon.

READ: South Korea exposes urgent Gilas needs for title defense

One of the players who came under fire was Bolick, who scored a total of four points on a combined 2-of-15 shooting on top of a two-game average of 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

Coach Tim Cone is banking on Bolick to lead the squad while also manning the backcourt, a role he did quite well during his previous national team stint last December at the Thailand Southeast Asian Games.

Alapag, the Gilas captain during the historic 2013 Fiba Asia Championship run and 2014 Fiba World Cup, believes Cone’s squad can use the tune-up matches to play the way it hopes to be for the Asian Games.

“It’s tough when you lose a tune-up game. But that’s what they’re for, diba? You just find ways to improve,” Alapag said.

“And I think for that team in particular, [you just have to] build off some chemistry and camaraderie before the tournament starts in Nagoya,” he added.

Gilas starts off its campaign on Friday against Bahrain, and Alapag acknowledges that Bolick and company will be in for a daunting task.

That doesn’t mean, however, that Gilas is going to play as it did against South Korea once the real games start.

“I’m still confident that [Robert] and the guys will go out there and represent the flag proudly for there country,” Alapag said. “But they got a tough road ahead. but I just want to let him know that all of us are rooting for them and supporting them.”