Kai Sotto badly missed by Gilas, says NZ coach

Even New Zealand’s head coach Judd Flavell acknowledged the stark contrast between a Gilas Pilipinas squad featuring the towering 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto and one without him.

Flavell conceded that the result on Thursday, Feb. 26, could have swung dramatically had Gilas included Sotto in their lineup during their narrow 69-66 victory.

“We know Kai Sotto is a big part of the puzzle for the Philippines, and I was here back in November 2024 when he played,” said Flavell in deference to Gilas’ 93-89 victory in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers more than a year ago.

Tonight, the rebounding, and I think this is a big strength of the Philippines, it’s just the rebounding that they present, and I remember Kai Sotto, like he’s a handful on the rebounds, and not just him, Fajardo, Edu and tonight Milora Brown,” he added.

In that memorable match, Sotto made a significant impact, recording 19 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists – a performance that remains etched in history as Gilas’ sole triumph over the Tall Blacks. Since that encounter, New Zealand has secured three consecutive wins against the Philippine team.

Flavell noted that the Tall Blacks struggled against Gilas’ big men throughout the game, and he can only imagine the added challenge New Zealand would have faced had Sotto been available.

Sotto not only alters the dynamics of Gilas’ gameplay but also forces opponents to rethink their strategies, emphasized Flavell.

“He’s very mobile, and you know, obviously being over 7 feet, he’s going to be giving them another dynamic to play, so he does absolutely help,” he said.

“Next time, we’re going to see the Philippines in July, so we know that it’s going to be another big challenge.”