Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
With coach Chot Reyes opting to go younger with the new 24-man national team pool, a lot of the national team veterans have been left out in the process.
And thus begins the search for the new leader of Gilas Pilipinas.
Jimmy Alapag believes that it’s up to the likes of Jayson Castro, June Mar Fajardo, and Japeth Aguilar, who have been there since the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship, to guide the new recruits.
“I think not having guys like Gabe Norwood, Ranidel de Ocampo, and Marc Pingris is a big loss not just on talent but from a leadership standpoint. With this team relatively younger, it puts more pressure on Jayson, June Mar, and Japeth to step up and be the leader, given a lot of these guys are playing for the country for the first time,” he said.
But LA Tenorio, who have represented the Philippines several times, thinks the pressure should not just be on the veterans. Once you make it to the final line up, you have to set aside personal gains and do your share.
“It’s not just about the three players. Based on my experience on the program, whoever makes it to the Final 12 must be ready to give. It’s not about who you are as a player. It’s not about you, but it’s about playing together and being together,” said Tenorio. “It’s not only about playing in the court, it’s also how you act outside of the court. I think that’s the biggest challenge, not only for the three players, but for the whole team.”
Despite the absence of the veterans in the roster, the relatively young Gilas Pilipinas line up will still get advice from familiar faces, with Alapag being enlisted as an assistant coach in Chot Reyes’ staff.
The former Gilas captain believes that more than his role of honing the guards, he will be valuable in imparting the knowledge he gained through the numerous international wars he fought on.
“Coach Chot and I, we’ve been together for so long and we’ve experienced highs and lows with the national team. Both of us knows what it means to play for the country and I think that’s why I’m here,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to helping them and continue to see the program progress forward.”