Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Seeing the highs and lows of Philippine basketball in the last decade, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan couldn’t help but smile knowing that the future is in good hands.
“Just looking at the cream of Philippine basketball, both the mature ones and the younger ones in one court is simply a sight to behold. It’s a very heartening experience for me and I’d like to think that the future of Philippine basketball is very bright. So I’m quite optimistic about the future,” Pangilinan said on Monday.
Watching the Gilas Pilipinas resume its weekly evening practices at Meralco Gym together with members of coach Chot Reyes’ “23-for-23” pool, Pangilinan was glad to see that all of the efforts he put in the past decade has led to this — a collection of young and veteran talents ready to represent the flag and country from now until the 2023 Fiba World Cup.
“We started in 2007, and at that time, those were bleak days because the Philippines was suspended right on the heels of the sad experience, the poor performance of the Philippine team in Tokushima. The future was not so bright at all,” he recounted.
“I’m glad that things have changed for the better. And it could not have been done without the help of everybody, every association of the country, the PBA, the collegiate associations, and everybody who’s part of the basketball community.”
With Reyes steering the wheel for Gilas Pilipinas moving forward with these talents, Pangilinan hopes that the public will continue supporting the team, especially in the second leg of the 2019 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers in February.
“Our people should be proud of these players and they deserve all the support we all could give them. Let’s get out there and watch Gilas play,” he said.
Gilas Pilipinas flies to Melbourne to face Australia at Margaret Court Arena on February 22 before coming back home to host Japan at Mall of Asia Arena on February 25.