THERE’S a bit of nostalgia for New Zealand skipper Corey Webster as the Tall Blacks face Gilas Pilipinas on Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers (ACQ).
Mr. Webster previously featured for the Tall Blacks when they played the Nationals and other NBA-bannered rivals back in 2016 in the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
And the 35-year-old shooting guard averaged 21.7 points a game in that past stint as New Zealand gave Tony Parker and France and Tristan Thompson and Canada a run for their money before absorbing close defeats in the group stage (59-66) and semifinals (72-78), respectively.
In their group game against the hosts then, Mr. Webster banged in 23 markers as the Kiwis defeated the Andre Blatche-led Filipinos before a 13,000-strong home crowd, 89-80.
Eight years later, Mr. Webster looks forward to playing the home squad in front of their passionate “sixth man” again.
“They turn out in their tens of thousands and pack their arenas and love their national team,” the seasoned 6-foot-2 gunner said on the website of Basketball New Zealand.
“Playing in Manila is something that not too many players get to experience. It is always amazing and to have a game over there in this window is a great experience for any player. I know it will be electric.”
Mr. Webster, who has won four championships in New Zealand, three in Australia and one in Africa, is among the biggest thorns Gilas is bracing for in the squad assembled by new coach Judd Flavell.
“He’s going to be a guy that we’re going to have to be attentive to,” said Philippine coach Tim Cone. “He can change a game. You know he gets hot, he gets rolling, he can really change the game.”
With Mr. Flavell and his crew on the first step of their journey, Mr. Cone expects the visiting team to play with high energy.
“I think this is their first game together, as a group. And I remember our first game when we played in Hong Kong (first window of the ACQ in February) and when we first got together. And there was a lot of excitement, a lot of energy, and we were raring to play. So we expect that from them as well,” said the Gilas mentor, who has been whipping the Nationals into fighting shape since Friday at their training camp in Laguna. — Olmin Leyba