‘Sobrang bitin’: Brief Gilas stint leaves Arwind Santos wanting for more

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Arwind Santos waited nearly a decade before getting his chance to suit up for the Philippine team again but his return didn’t turn out the way he wanted it to be.

Santos entered the game in the second quarter and saw action for only four minutes and 10 seconds in Gilas Pilipinas’ 78-70 loss to Iran in the Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers.

The veteran forward said he thought we was going to be reinserted in the third and fourth quarter and felt he would’ve made a difference had he played longer especially in the closing minutes.

“Bitin, bitin, bitin. Sobrang bitin ako. Bitin tapos nakakapanghinayang. Lamang tayo, dikdikan yung laro, nag-collapse tayo bigla nung huli. Yun lang. Sana magkaroon pa tayo ng pag-asa para mag-qualify kahit papaano,” said Santos.

(I really wanted to play more. We were up and it was a close game but we collapsed in the end. I hope we still have a chance to qualify somehow.)

Santos could only watch on the bench as Gilas and Iran went back and forth in the final frame until the Iranians, who came back from eight points down, proved to be the steadier team down the stretch.

The San Miguel Beermen star lamented not being able to help his team in the endgame, a point in the game where where he feels he usually thrives in.

“Nag-expect ako na makakabalik ako kahit saglit nung 3rd saka 4th quarter. Pero hindi ako nakabalik, lalo na yung mga ganung crucial pukpukan, parang alam mo yun, sanay ako sa ganun eh. Kahit papaano, defense tsaka sa offense yung mga crucial shots. Isa rin yon sa gusto ko,” said Santos, who also cleared has no hard feelings towards head coach Yeng Guiao, whom he has high respect for. 

(I expected to play even for just a short period of time in the third and fourth quarter but I never came back especially in the crucial stages where I’m used to playing and somehow play defense and on offense hit crucial shots which is also one of the things I like doing.)

The 37-year-old Santos, though, remains grateful for the rare opportunity to play for the country despite the outcome. 

He is also hoping his second tour of duty won’t be his last.

“Ako talagang bukas ang pintuan ko dun. Ibang level kasi yan eh. Gusto kong gumanti, gusto kong bumawi, gusto ko maiwan ko naman yung team natin, Team Pilipinas, ng panalo, hindi yung talo,” the 2013 PBA MVP said.

(My door is open. It’s really a different level. I want to get back at them, I want to bounce back and I want to leave the Philippine team on a winning note and not with a loss.)