'We need to be at our best in OQT' — Del Rosario

Gilas Pilipinas’ Dwight Ramos TMT FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Achieving the Olympic dream requires the best effort from Gilas Pilipinas.

That's the assessment of Gilas team manager Richard del Rosario shortly after the national squad closed its two-game friendly with a loss to Poland early Sunday morning.

"We were good against Turkey, we were better against Poland, but we have to be at our best from here on out," said Gilas team manager Richard del Rosario in a statement posted at the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas' website.

Gilas made a searing fourth quarter rally behind Dwight Ramos and naturalized player Justin Brownlee before bowing to Poland, 82-80.

The national squad also dropped an 84-73 decision to Turkey in Istanbul early last week.

Del Rosario noted that turnovers killed Gilas, while team defense will have to improve drastically if the Philippines even hopes to beat Latvia or Georgia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia that begins this Thursday.

"We need to limit our turnovers and get locked in defensively. It's not just about competing, it's all about winning," said Del Rosario, who in the PBA, also serves as Gilas coach Tim Cone's lead assistant at Barangay Ginebra.

Gilas turned the ball over 23 times, no thanks to Poland's excellent defense.

The Gilas team manager said the Filipinos will have their minds focused on their preparations versus Latvia, ranked sixth in the world and Georgia (24th) in the next few days.

"We will put them under the microscope and look for ways to win," he stressed.

Gilas opens the OQT against Latvia on July 4 (12 midnight Philippine time), followed by Georgia (July 4, 8:30 p.m.).