THREE coaching changes and adjustments in the roster didn't have much effect on Gilas Pilipinas as far as winning was concerned.
For five games now in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, the Philippine men's basketball team has remained undefeated.
The Filipinos wrap up their campaign against the South Koreans at the Angeles University Foundation gym in Pampanga on Sunday afternoon.
And there's no better way for the Philippines to end its campaign than to sweep the tournament with another win against long-time Asian rival South Korea.
The Filipinos are already assured of a berth in the FIBA Asia Cup, a qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Cup, but Gilas head coach Tab Baldwin wants to develop more chemistry for the squad, and Sunday's rematch with South Korea is an ideal testing ground for the team.
Last Wednesday, the South Koreans proved to be a humdinger of an encounter as the Filipinos nipped the South Koreans with a buzzer-beating, game-winning three-pointer from guard SJ Belangel.
For basketball-crazy Pinoys, every Philippine-South Korean encounter offers high stakes not only because the South Koreans have tormented the Filipinos in many international tournaments since the 1970s but also because they have always been a good touchstone of the Philippine team's progress.
Gilas Pilipinas, now composed of young but tall prospects, showed tenacity in an 81-78 triumph last Wednesday. The Filipinos showed their resolve, fighting back from 17 points down and setting the tone for an exciting wind up.
Here is how you can watch Gilas' games:
Free TV
TV5 will broadcast the Philippines' games live, while One Sports will air a replay of the matches the following day.
One Sports will also televise qualifying games from other groups starting on Saturday, June 12.
Online
Fans can watch the games online on Cignal Play through its website (cignalplay.com) or app, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
Meanwhile, Smart subscribers on the go can use their phones to watch Gilas' matches on gigafest.smart. Users have to turn on their mobile data and visit the website.
For the best streaming experience, users can register to Double GIGA Video 99 for a daily 2GB data for YouTube, Cignal, iWant, and NBA League Pass plus 2GB of open access data, valid for seven days. To register, just choose Double GIGA Video on the GigaLife App, or dial *123#.