Gilas made us proud with just a 2-point game against a team ranked number 15 in the FIBA world standings. That's impressive.
But that was Gilas trying to come back. IIRC, Poland's lead reached as high as 20 points, but Gilas had a strong run that gave a scare to the home team. I can't believe that Gilas has improved this much. Although some comments mention they don't move the ball well and lack a true PG, Ramos is not a true PG, so there's a problem with ball movement. However, Ramos was really clutch, making shot after shot to stage the comeback. It was him and Brownlee who carried Gilas on their backs.
I don't know if we can win in the actual game in the qualifier, but based on the last two games, I see there's a possibility.
Kai's value was evident in that game. His presence in the paint made it difficult for Poland to attack easily. Just like in the last tune-up game, it was the opponent's great 3-point shooting that hurt Gilas. Overall, it was a good performance because it was a close game. I love their improvement. They fell short, but that's fine because it was already close. With just a little fine-tuning, especially on the FT side, they'll get it next time.
I guess they are well prepared now for the qualifiers. Good luck to Gilas.
Kai has to be aggressive, like he played in the last two games. Blocking shots is not enough. He needs to be a threat on offense as well. I see that he is getting more confident with his shots. Hopefully, that's a wake-up call for him, and he'll do even better in the first game of the qualifier.