Easy, Easy.

I'm not sure a lot would remember Lionel Richie's classic song Easy and its opening line:

Know it sounds funny
But I just can't stand the pain... 

That's exactly how our Gilas soldiers felt when they heard the word from the Lebanon coach Veselin Matic and his staggering confidence on yesterday's QF match: “No Iran. Now Philippines. We can play Philippines easy, easy.”

And we all know what happened next. Yes, it wasn't an easy W for us. However contrary to what coach Lionel, este, Veselin stated, neither was it for them, easy as pie.

Now we're back in the semis, and soon with a shot at Gold. Let's Go Gilas!

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Now our turn to shift to being EASY. Perhaps relax our uber-tensed minds a little or more, as we anticipate the semis game later. Let's sustain the good vibes amidst this stormy weather. And have some fun!
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And now for some PULOT NEWS:

MMDA CHAIR TOLENTINO EXCITED MAKA-GOLD ANG GILAS

Mismong si MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino ang nagpahayag ng kagalakan nang malaman na abot-tanaw na ng Gilas ang kampeonato sa Fiba Asia 2015. 'Yan ay kung papalarin ang Gilas na talunin ang Japan mamaya sa semis. At kung mananalo ay agad namang maglalaro kontra Iran o China para sa kampeonato. Ngayon pa lang ay mataas ang pananalig ng butihing MMDA Chairman na napipisil na tumakbo bilang senador ng Partido Liberal, na kayang sungkiting ng Gilas ang ginto.

Sakaling maiuwi ng Gilas ang kampeonato ay mamarapatin ni Tolentino na magpadala ng kanyang regalo para sa pagdaraos ng victory party ng koponan ng bayan. Inaasahan na dudumugin ito ng mga kalalakihang fans ng Gilas at paniguradong mag-uunahan sa pag-volunteer pagdating ng parlor games.

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PBA EXECS HAPPY TO SEE CLUBS REPPED IN FIBA ASIA 2015

PBA Commissioner Chito Narvaza and other PBA team executives were spotted watching the games in Changsha, China. SBP Chair and multi-team owner Manny Pangilinan has also arrived and amply showed support to the men's basketball team.

Pangilinan, also known as MVP has the most number of players loaned to Gilas coming from his clubs TalkN'Text, NLEX and Meralco (RDO, Castro, MGR, Taulava with David & Rosario as reserves). Also proud to see their clubs contribution this year is Alaska Aces Governor Dickie Bachmann. Aside from Abueva, Hontiveros and Thoss, the Uytengsu franchise has loaned their head coach Alex Compton to Gilas 3.0. The other clubs represented in the national team are Raymond Yu and Terry Que's Rain Or Shine (Norwood), George Chua's Barako Bull (Intal), Mikee Romero's Globalport (Romeo). And lastly, no one is prouder than T.A.P.E.'s Tony Tuviera for generously letting Jean Marc Pingris play in this year's Gilas Pilipinas. 

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BLATCHE ELATES SEN. GRACE POE

No less than Senator Grace Poe has shown admiration to the unwavering determination and passion (or Puso) shown by Andray Blatche playing for Gilas Pilipinas. Blatche, a former NBA player, is the Philippines' prized naturalized player. However in a pending case at Senate Electoral Tribunal, Blatche has insisted that he is a natural-born citizen having been found at the kitchen of an Eat-All-You-Can restaurant at birth in the district of Jaro in Iloilo City.

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CHINA: Whose Side Are They On?

Chinese Mainlanders are in a quandary which side to support later in the Philippines-Japan game. Historically, Japan is an arch-nemesis of China while Philippines has a standing dispute with the most-populated nation on earth over some islands in the West Philippine Sea (or China Sea, depending on whether you are a Filipino or Chinese).

Therefore, to address this confusion, the Chinese organizers of this year's Fiba Asia decided to hold the PHI-JPN semifinal game right after the airing of all late night/midnight news within GMT +8:00 territory. To be exact, around 12 midnight, just perfect to end Friday. Or granting China wins against Iran early tonight, the winner of this game will only have time to change jersey and take a pee before the Gold Medal match.

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That's all mga ka-fans. Let's keep our spirits up (sabayan mo na din ng ice at pulutan mamaya). Let's keep praying for our team. Hindi basta-basta kalaban ang Japan, kasi ayon nga sa sinaunang kasabihan patungkol sa Japan: "Just Always Pray At Night." Kaya doblehin natin ang dasal. Today is the feast of the Guardian Angels. Nawa'y gabayan nila ang ating mga manlalaro na maging ligtas at maiuwi ang inaasam nating tagumpay!

Kanto Quote of the Day: Hindi pala si Jordan nakalaban natin sa Quarter Finals. Kundi si… LeBanon James!

... follow @labapilipinas on twitter for some sports laundering!