For Gilas Pilipinas and head coach Chot Reyes, their third and last preparatory friendly against Mexico at the Philsports Arena last Monday, Aug. 21, came and went almost as an afterthought.

Moments after Gilas gave world No. 30 Mexico a big scare 84-77 despite the absence of NBA star Jordan Clarkson in the lineup, Reyes and his coaching staff emerged from their baseline dugout only to slip into a room adjacent to the glass entrance door — the one that serves as media quarters during PBA games.

With Reyes were Gilas team manager Butch Antonio and assistants Jong Uichico and Josh Reyes, all four solemn-faced but not because of the outcome.

Also with them, having driven straight from the airport after a 24-hour flight, layovers included, from Granada, Spain, was Tim Cone, Gilas’ main man in charge of plotting the defense in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Cone, who missed Gilas’ tune-up games against Ivory Coast and Montenegro, was in Granada, a city of 232,208 in southern Spain’s Andalusia region, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, for a top secret mission: file a dossier on Dominican Republic, the national team’s opening opponent at 8 p.m. on August 25 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Cone was there when Dominican Republic, powered by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns, beat Canada 94-88 in a tune-up game, and when Spain narrowly escaped with victory 86-77 over the world No. 23.

A sole occupant in the room was mildly surprised when the Gilas coaches walked in, scurrying to leave, with his stuff on a table, after Reyes remarked with a smile, “Me nagsusulat pala rito e. Pano tayo mag-uusap?”

Later, after the Gilas coaches had stepped out from their meeting, Reyes was asked if the friendlies had left any impression on him."

“Wala na, puro Dominican Republic na,” he said, stressing further that the “the next three days [of practice] will be all purely Dominican.”

Reyes said the three tuneup games for Gilas had achieved the goal to “integrate Scottie [Thompson], Jordan [Clarkson] and Kai [Sotto] to the team. Ngayon puro Dominican na.”

And Cone had all the files that could be gathered on the FIBA World Americas qualifier.

Team viewing of video footage Cone brought back from his scouting mission, Reyes said, will highlight Tuesday’s training at 4 p.m before the national team, still officially at 16 players, proceeds to the Philsports Arena playing court for their 6-8 p.m. practice.

Clarkson, of the Utah Jazz, requested for a breather after playing the entire first half and the first four minutes of the third quarter in the Philippines’ 85-62 victory over FIBA Africas qualifier Ivory Coast last Friday. He then stayed in the game for 29:39 minutes during a bruising 102-87 defeat to world No. 18 Montenegro of FIBA Europe two days after.

Just before the tuneup against Mexico, Clarkson sat down with Antonio for a talk.

“He just needed a rest,” said Antonio, who dispelled any fears Clarkson has suffered an injury or whether his stint in the World Cup might be in any kind of jeopardy.

“Nothing like that,” assured Antonio. “He really just wanted to rest."

Reyes carried the same line. “Kailangan lang niya nang pahinga,” he said.

With Clarkson on the bench, the rest of the national team grabbed the opportunity and rose to the occasion in the face of an opponent spewing fire from all angles.

Mexico buried 9 of 14 three-point shots in the first half, which ended tied 51-all as both teams traded runs and opened respective single-digit leads.

RR Pogoy led Gilas with 9 points in the first half, while 7-foot-3 starter Sotto rebounded from a scoreless evening against Montenegro last Sunday by adding 8, with a 3-pointer.

The Nationals shot 5 of 10 from beyond the 3-point arc to keep an exchange going although it was their bench scoring, 22-12, that kept the momentum in overdrive even as the Mexicans displayed outside accuracy set up by elaborate back picks and swift ball movement to find corner shooters.

Best exemplifying Gilas’ bench contribution was Chris Newsome, who scored six straight points early in the second quarter when the Nationals came back from a 31-27 deficit to seize a 43-38 lead on a Fajardo basket.

Mexico eventually asserted its experience and full complement of players against a team that held its own for more than three quarters without its court leader and most dominant member, a factor that would have drastically reversed the outcome.

Forcing Gilas into seven turnovers in the third quarter alone, Mexico, bracketed in the Group Phase with Montenegro, Egypt and Lithuania, broke ahead to open a 69-63 lead going to the final 10 minutes which it never relinquished.

An AJ Edu basket halfway in the fourth quarter allowed Gilas to come within 72-69, but the Nationals missed four straight chances to turn around a one-possession game and the Mexicans, steady even under pressure, quashed the threat with free throws or outside baskets down the stretch.

Deadshot Pako Cruz led Mexico with 18 points with 4 triples, Paul Stoll added 17 with 5 treys, Fabian Jaimes 15 and wide-bodied Josh Ibarra 12 with 9 rebounds.

The Mexicans were 13 of 24 in 3-point shots overall to Gilas’ 7 of 23.

Thompson had 14 points for the Nationals but no other had more than 9 after Pogoy and Dwight Ramos. Jamie Malonzo and Sotto had 8 points apiece, Kiefer Ravena 7, June Mar Fajardo and Newsome 6 each, CJ Perez 4, and Japeth Aguilar and Edu both with 3 points.