I’m not belittling the victory we had over Indonesia at the Britama Arena in Jakarta recently, but with the win, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas had declared, after just a game, that the future of Gilas is bright. Sure it is, but it simply lacks the exact wattage to shine. It is like saying that De La Salle Green Archers will be UAAP’s title favorites after winning a tune-up game against Emilio Aguinaldo College.
The
future will surely be brighter than bright if the national team can have a
permanent coaching staff, and when we say permanent, we mean someone who can
handle the team for at least a few years, or until we stop dreaming about
conquering the basketball powers of Europe and the Americas. Different coaches
will have different styles, different systems, different attitudes, and of
course, different favorites.
The same holds true with players. We just can’t have consistency when every
FIBA tournament, we see a different combination of players. We can assemble the
best players that the Philippines can offer for the national team, but putting
them together in a matter of weeks simply won’t work. Even the best players
need time to prepare.
The experimental hybrid mix of professional and college standouts looks promising, and I personally like it. The national team could eventually be weaned from the reliance on pro players, whose services completely rely on the decisions of their respective mother teams. This college and amateur set-up could have us on the losing radar for a while, but considering the young talent pool we have at our disposal who has the size and the length, it won’t take us long to be dominant. It might not be in the world stage, but probably in the Asian setting.
Domination takes time, and if we follow the examples of the superpowers of sports on the way they train their athletes as systems for their respective national teams, like how they quarantine them in their quarters for several years, conditioning and basketball practice for breakfast, lunch and dinner, only then can we declare that the future for Gilas is bright, or even in any other sport that the country wishes to accomplish world recognition.
The Gilas program director bared plans for the team after the recent FIBA window, and it includes foreign training. I would suppose that this will be for the cadets, since the international exposure would be very beneficial for them. If we can only maintain the commitment of these amateurs, we just might be on the right track.
With him handling the program, it would not be surprising if this team becomes the Gilas Blue Eagles. The Gilas team that won over the Indonesians had at least five past, present, and future Ateneans. Sooner or later, the seven-foot-two teenager currently training overseas, and the son of a retired PBA stalwart who was a Bulldog for two seasons and who’s rumored to be playing for Ateneo when the UAAP Season 83 opens, surely will be joining the cadet pool.
Again, I say, different style, different attitude and different, you fill in the blanks. It could be for the better in the long run, as there will already be familiarity with the system, and most important, there will be cohesion and chemistry among the players.
Go Gilas!/PN
