TAKE YOUR SILVER Cambodia coach Harry Savaya drew the ire of Gilas Pilipinas for his late-game antics throughout the two groups’ first assembly. —AFP
MANILA, Philippines–Harry Savaya, Cambodia’s animated head coach within the thirty second Southeast Asian Games, heaped praises on the Gilas Pilipinas squad that beat his group, 80-69, for the gold medal on Tuesday night time.
But that heat didn’t precisely prolong to his counterpart, Chot Reyes.
“The Philippine players, respect for all of them. They played with their hearts [out],” he advised reporters on the heels of a second-place end at Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh.
“[But] they deserve better than someone to blame them like in the first round,” he went on.
Savaya, a former professional from Lebanon, was referring to how Reyes dealt with Gilas Pilipinas’ 79-68 loss to Cambodia within the group section.
“I like what I heard from the coach [through] ESPN of the Philippines. He blamed the weather, he blamed everything, he blamed the players. I don’t do that. I can teach him—if he wants—about coaching. In Europe, everywhere, the places he’s never been,” he stated.
“And I never heard anywhere that taking a timeout will be disrespect. But that’s OK. Loser always, uh, talk (sic),” Savaya added.
Philippines’s coach Vincent “Chot” Reyes reacts after successful the lads’s basketball closing in opposition to Cambodia on the thirty second SEA Games in Phnom Penh on May 16, 2023. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP)
Cambodia and the Philippines engaged in a heated verbal trade in the direction of the tip of their earlier encounter 5 days in the past. The Gilas teaching employees, notably assistant Tim Cone, took exception to Savaya’s antics and late timeout with the sport already past doubt.
In Tuesday’s finale, Savaya and Reyes shook fingers as the ultimate horn rang.
The Gilas coach, in a separate interview, jokingly stated he would’ve needed to name a timeout as the sport got here to an finish.
“If they’re rude, then we are not. We’ve always talked about playing the game the right way,” Reyes stated.
Savaya stated that he was nonetheless proud regardless of having to accept silver contemplating how quick Cambodia—replete with naturalized gamers—ready for the SEA Games.
[“W]e came in like, it was literally four days before the SEA Games that’s why I’m proud of (the players),” he stated.
“Four days of preparation, [and] you come [in] and beat a lot of teams preparing at least for at least two years or 3 years they’ve been together? I’m proud of all of them, even the players who didn’t play,” he added.
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