Please don’t take the ‘PUSO’ out of Gilas

If the MVP Cup basketball series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum served its purpose for Gilas Pilipinas, it came in the game against the Wellington Saints of New Zealand on Saturday, which probed serious cracks in the national team.

For most of the first three quarters, the Nationals were a distressed lot: outjumped, outhustled, outshot.

“Soft and slow,’ said a young reporter in the press row under the east basket.

“No sense of quality,” butted in a bespectacled veteran scribe.

* * *

Gilas Pilipinas could hardly buy a quality basket through designated shooters.

The Gilas defenders could not keep pace with wily, quick-stepping Wellington lane intruders.

There were flashes, in the form of big-hearted baskets from the shifty, daring newcomer Terrence Romeo.

These mini heroics would however be nullified by the the overweight, tired naturalized team pillar Andre Blatche, who continued to play lost and gallivant.

* * *

Naturally, the lowly stand started to tell on the big crowd, which had to hiss in displeasure and disbelief.

There were only seven minutes left in the game, and still no sign of life from the Nationals, who were down by ten points.

Not a few fans had started to get up, in a bid to exit.

* * *

Then, as though in a fictional script, there zoomed forth the tiny Romeo to light up the floor. He was a vision of delight as he connected a total of four three-pointers to bail out his team, and win the game almost singlehandedly.

After the victory, it was easy to say the crowd had thus formalized its romance with Romeo, lyrical prince of Pinoy basketball.

Everybody was delighted—except for national coach Tad Baldwin, who next explained they have no choice but alter Romeo’s gunslinger ways, temper his daredevil style.

* * *

The decision of the well-meaning national team mentor was wholly understandable. They will have to fight it out in the Olympic qualifying tournament in China later this month as a solid, composite unit.

The mission can’t be accomplished through high-wire acts.

As much as possible, no emotional shock troopers or lyrical firebrands.

Just fine. But let’s also pray and hope they don’t end up taking native candor, the celebrated “PUSO,” out of the Gilas Pilipinas national squad.