Abu Tratter making most of chance to train with Gilas Pilipinas

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net

Just like his fellow “23-for-23” cadets, Abu Tratter couldn’t help but be starstruck over the star power he worked with when he attended his first Gilas Pilipinas practice on Monday.

“At first, I was just shocked to see June Mar (Fajardo) and Gabe (Norwood) and just to be able to be in the midst of them. I even asked them for a picture, and hopefully, they’ll still give me one. It’s just humbling,” he shared after the national team wrapped up the hour-long session at Meralco Gym.

The 6-foot-7 Tratter was one of the eight frontcourt players coach Chot Reyes listed in his 2023 cadet pool and was the lone Lasallian to make the cut.

But his height wasn’t the lone reason he earned the ticket to the national team pool as the 25-year-old knows that it’s his grit that brought him to this stage.

“I think, just doing the dirty work — whatever the team needed, whatever rebound or any steals, anything a player would need to pick up on,” said Tratter, who is set to play for Marinerong Pilipino in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup.

“That’s what I’m all about: turning garbage into gold. Get anything, sweep up anything, and try to put the ball back.”

Tratter knows very well how tough the competition will be to earn those coveted spots for the 2023 Fiba World Cup.

Without much guarantee, he’s just relishing this opportunity to rock the Philippine threads and train with some of the best players in the country.

“Just to be able to see these guys, to be able to practice with these guys, and to be able take in whatever information I can from them is already big for me. Hopefully in the future, I can apply it to my game,” he said.