Gilas Pilipinas member Troy Rosario. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
It may have come as a shock to some, but Troy Rosario knows that he did his best to earn his spot in the Gilas Pilipinas’ final lineup.
“May chance na ako ipakita yung laro ko tsaka maibalik yung trust na ibinigay sa akin ng mga coaches at sa management,” he said on Tuesday after the team’s first practice session at Mall of Asia Arena.
“Dream come true kasi hindi ko inexpect na mapasama ako sa final 12. Hindi naging madali yung journey namin doon. Talagang may ups and downs kami dun sa training camp. May good days at bad days. Sa tingin ko, challenge sa amin yun lalo na darating na yung tournament.”
Rosario understands the shock the whole country felt when he and Ryan Reyes were selected in the final roster, leaving Calvin Abueva and LA Tenorio out of the Gilas lineup.
But the former NU Bulldog shared that even he was surprised with the way things had transpired.
“Nabigla ako noon pati si Ryan. Hindi namin in-expect na magiging ganoon yung resulta ng pilian.”
Rosario also saw the backlash on social media, noticing that the TNT duo trended for all the wrong reasons.
The good thing, though, is that there are no ill feelings between them and the guys who got cut.
“Nag-usap kami ni Ryan na nag-trending nga kami, pero hindi maganda yung mga reaction,” he said.
Alam ko malaking bagay si Calvin sa Gilas, pero kaya ko rin naman maglaro.
“Kahit yung dalawang natanggal, proud pa rin sila sa amin kaya masaya na rin kami. Kausap ko si Calvin at si kuya LA at sinabi lang nila na time na namin. Meron rin namang mga positibo kaming narinig and yung mga coaches, sinasabi talaga sa amin na lahat sa amin doon sa 14, deserving makapasok sa lineup.”
With the energy guy like Abueva out of the team, Rosario knows that he has big shoes to fill but the youngster is up for the job despite the tremendous pressure that comes along with it.
“Kahit ako yung bago sa final 12, malaki pa rin yung role ko na gagampanan. Syempre, hindi natin masabi kung ma-foul trouble yung ibang bigs. Pwede ako mag-play down as a big man at pwede rin ako mag-play as a wing so yung lineup, lalaki,” he said. “Nasa sa akin na yung kung paano ko iha-handle yung pressure. Alam ko malaking bagay si Calvin sa Gilas, pero kaya ko rin naman maglaro.”
All Rosario is praying for right now is for the public to respect coach Tab Baldwin’s decision and support Gilas Pilipinas in the upcoming 2016 Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament, regardless of who got in and who
got left out from the squad.
“Sa Gilas fans, sana patuloy nyo kaming suportahan at sana, i-respect natin yung mga napili,” he ended.