TAIPEI: Gilas Pilipinas took another tumble in the Jones Cup here on Thursday afternoon, and this latest defeat at the hands of Asian power Iran is something that is most welcome as far as coach Tab Baldwin is concerned.

Hamed Haddadi, the 7-foot-2 NBA veteran who is hands down the best pure center in Asia, exposed the hole in Gilas’ frontline rotation and led the Iranians to a 74-65 victory that put them within two more wins of wrapping up the eight-nation tournament at the Xinzhuang gymnasium here.

“It’s a game on the surface but it has more importance for the coaching staff, “Baldwin said after he got to know the Iranian game a little bit more.

Asi Taulava tried his best and fell very short, Sonny Thoss was simply too small and the 26-year-old Moala Tautuaa just doesn’t have the experience to battle Haddadi one-on-one underneath.

If Baldwin needs to do adjustments for the Fiba-Asia where Iran, the Philippines, China and South Korea are given the edge, it would be on how to contain Haddadi and all the other big men coming from the other countries.

Simply put, Gilas needs one solid center out there.

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Gilas has a big man in Andray Blatche, the naturalized Filipino who is a legitimate NBA talent.

Blatche, though, is not a pure center and could be of biggest use to Gilas by playing facing the basket and not posting up. The 6-foot-11 former Brooklyn Net has the talent to lose players of similar size off the dribble and pop jump shots over players who are smaller.

So making Blatche battle center in the Fiba-Asia is, in my opinion, a waste of his talent. We need someone like Haddadi, someone who can attract a double team while posting up, conquer a single defender down low and then make a pop-out pass when in trouble.

Sounds like a talent we also have back in the Philippines, a talent named June Mar Fajardo who still refuses to budge even though Gilas management and coaching staff had said that they would be willing to wait for him to rejoin the national team.

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On Tuesday, no less than Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas vice-chairman Ricky Vargas made the announcement that they would be willing to break Gilas rules and accommodate Fajardo for the Fiba-Asia Olympic qualifier set in Changsha, China late this month.

So far, no word has come out from Fajardo’s camp.

That statement from Vargas practically says that the National Team, his national team, is begging him to come and help the cause for flag and country.

I don’t think there is any injury, unless crippling or career-threatening, which could keep any patriotic Filipino from playing for flag if he hears a statement like that.

What’s keeping the man from coming out, his plantar fasciatis?

If Fajardo had said that he played with so much pain in dominating the PBA last season and only got through it because of pain killers taken during the course of the year, what’s stopping him from taking more pain killers for a period of three weeks, or until the end of Fiba-Asia?

For me, the plantar fasciatis thing is a lame excuse. I’m sorry, but after having seen Gias get dominated by bigger foes, if there was any other player of June Mar’s caliber, of his height and agility, I’m sure that kid out there would show up to Gilas training camp and will work his butt out to help in the Fiba-Asia.

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Another player that Vargas called out to is Paul Lee of Rain or Shine, that super point guard who could surely be of use because of his court intelligence and consistent outside shot.

In Lee’s case, Vargas said something different. It is apparent that Lee is not injured and want to play for the National Team, but Rain or Shine management does not want to release their franchise player.

Vargas said that he would “reach out again to Rain or Shine owners” to convince them to lend Lee and make the backcourt of Gilas as solid as it can be come the Fiba-Asia.

Patriotism will come to play in this case.

Vargas had told a select group of reporters covering the Jones Cup here of the real reasons why Rain or Shine has refused to release Lee and allowed just one player — Gabe Norwood — coming from their camp to join the pool.

The problem with some people who claim to love basketball is that they love the sport conditionally. That shouldn’t be the case.

With Jordan Clarkson almost sure of playing as a Filipino in the Fiba-Asia, this could possibly be the best chance to return to the Olympics.

And there are some people who refuse to recognize that chance by letting pride get in the way.