Philippines’ Terrence Romeo (right) continues to dazzle in the 2015 Jones Cup. Romeo’s game-high 23 points however, weren’t enough to lift Gilas Pilipinas, which dropped an 82-70 decision Monday night at Xinchuang gymnasium in Taipei. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
TAIPEI – Terrence Romeo is chasing a dream, and despite his very fine showing after three games in the 2015 Jones Cup here, knows he has a long way’s to go to fulfill it.
Never considered for national team inclusion despite a prolific collegiate career with Far Eastern in the UAAP, Romeo is making it no secret that he wants to crack the Final 12 of Gilas Pilipinas for the Fiba Asia that it is almost an obsession.
READ: After Abueva, Romeo showing, Baldwin worries revealing too much
“This is my dream, my childhood dream,” Romeo said in Filipino on Wednesday after the Nationals’ morning practice. “That’s why I am giving it my best every game and I won’t stop.”
Leading Gilas in scoring with 18.5 points per contest and becoming a toast in the tournament with his creative one-on-one plays, Romeo still doesn’t want to believe anyone that would say that he is a cinch to the Fiba-Asia squad.
“There’s so much more to learn,” he said. “I just want my game to fit the system of coach Tab (Baldwin).”
READ: ‘Humble’ Romeo impresses as he tries to crack Gilas line-up
Romeo acknowledges the fact that playing for the National team and GlobalPort in the PBA are entirely different things, mainly because the enemy’s defense here cannot concentrate solely on him unlike in the PBA.
“I am surrounded by a lot of great players (here), that’s why they (Gilas teammates) also require the attention of the opponents’ defense (that gives me the chance to operate one-on-one),” Romeo said.
No one has been able to stop Romeo one-on-one, no one from Chinese Taipei-A, the South Koreans or the physical Russians of Spartak Primorye.
And that alone should be the biggest reason why he will continue on playing as a National come the Fiba Asia in China later this month.