JAKARTA - A team that wasn't even supposed to be here, had just a week of preparation, and fell short of a medal will go down in Yeng Guiao's memory banks as one of his best coaching experiences. And that's saying a lot for someone who has been coaching for 28 years and won multiple PBA championships.
The Philippines officially finished fifth in the men's basketball competition in the 2018 Asian Games, but for Guiao, the experience was golden.
"We have no regrets," Guiao said moments after the Philippines played its best game of the tournament in a 109-55 thrashing of Syria. "Three weeks ago we thought we'd never be coming here. I thought it was a no-win situation and I was having second thoughts. I was thinking we were setting ourselves up to fail with the situation. But we just took the gamble. We risked it, one week of preparation, picking up guys from different teams."
Hastily-formed teams are the blueprint for disaster in international competition, but this group of players, from the 13th man Don Trollano to the NBA stud Jordan Clarkson, had a unique bond that few teams form in such a short time.
"It's a special group," Guiao noted. "You'll never get this kind of cohesion in a very short time unless it's a special group. I was really worried that maybe they wouldn't jell. There really wasn't enough time. I was thinking it might be a disaster. But it didn't. It was a good mix."
Even off the court, the players fully embraced the experience of being an Asian Games athlete and representing the country. They enthusiastically marched with the Philippine delegation in the opening ceremonies, watched other events together, cheered on their fellow Filipino athletes, and immersed themselves in the Athletes' Village. Their bond was reflected on social media, where many of them posted team photos on their Twitter accounts praising their camaraderie.
Asi Taulava called it "a special group" while thanking his teammates for "serving the country on such short notice".
Maverick Ahanmisi said "it was a hell of an experience" and that he "can't explain what it feels like to represent the country".
Chris Tiu said he was "deeply honored to have been given the opportunity once again to represent our country with such great guys for the Asian Games and I will always cherish this experience."
Gabe Norwood called it "an absolute honor to take part in this year's Asian Games."
Christian Standhardinger said "it was an honor to represent the country".
"We had a really good group," Guaio noted. "We had a really cohesive group that not only played well on the court but were really very tight even off the court. This is a team that's like a brotherhood."
The players, particularly Clarkson who had finally shaken off jet lag, clearly picked up their level of play over their last two games, winning by an average margin of 43.5 points. Guiao firmly believes that the team that blasted Japan and Syria would have beaten China or Korea, but he is nonetheless grateful for their time spent together.
"It's an unforgettable experience. It could have been better with the breaks going for us. But it's still a great experience. We will never forget this as a group. I'm happy with the way it ended."