Reyes insists "overkill" part of respect to basketball

By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY--When Coach Chot Reyes unveiled his "SEABA 12" in Lucena on April 28, some fans raised eyebrows about it, even thinking about a possible "overkill" considering that the Philippines is already miles ahead of its Southeast Asian neighbors basketball-wise.

Gilas' 107-point blowout of Myanmar on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum was a testament to the said expected annihilation.

But if Reyes is to be asked, the already-anticipated rout is a means of paying respect to the sport.

"If we don't defend them, let them [take a] layup, don't take shots, and make haphazard plays, that's a bigger sign of disrespect not only for the opponent but for the game," Reyes said to the media after the game.

However, Reyes added that he knows what the Burmese players felt after the blowout loss.

"We've been at the other end of the stick, so we know how it feels. But even if we were a lot smaller and less talented than the other teams, we never expected them to take us lightly. It's basketball," he further said.

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