Robert Bolick (left) scores off Barangay Ginebra’s Sidney Onwubere in this file photo. —PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Poy Erram hurt his back mid-game on Friday, and Roger Pogoy, with a calf strain, was a nonstarter for TNT to begin with as the Tropang Giga not only missed two vital cogs in their PBA Governors’ Cup campaign but also cast a dark shadow on Gilas Pilipinas’ personnel situation ahead of the Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers later this month.
Coach Chot Reyes, though, got some sort of consolation the morning after when the national cage program secured Robert Bolick, the NorthPort playmaker who is back as a Batang Pier and is again ready to represent the Philippines.
The returning national coach shared a clip of the spitfire guard joining Gilas’ training camp at Moro Lorenzo Sports Center in Ateneo.
“Trusted God, stayed the course, stayed ready, and put in the work. [N]ow its time to run it back,” the spitfire guard wrote on Facebook with a pair of photos of himself in both Gilas and NorthPort uniforms.
The Batang Pier also threw in their support for their ace, who has been nothing short of sterling for them this conference.
“[Robert] has NorthPort management’s full blessing. [It’s] for the country and for the Gilas Program,” team manager Bonnie Tan told the Inquirer.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said he has yet to receive official request from the national cage program, but reiterated that the league is always ready to lend players to national cause.
“Whoever the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) needs, we’re always willing to help out,” the league chief said.
Tested internationalist
In Bolick, Gilas gains a fearless guard who can manufacture scoring opportunities when needed. Bolick already played in the World Cup, emerging—together with CJ Perez—as the few bright spots for the Filipinos during that forgettable Fiba campaign in China in 2019.
His best outing was against perennial rival Iran, where he dropped 15 points.
Bolick joins a crop of youngsters bannered by Dwight Ramos and Thirdy Ravena, who both planed in from Japan to answer the flag’s call.
Incidentally, Bolick has also been linked to offers to play overseas.
The third overall pick of the 2018 draft has been solid for NorthPort thus far, putting up team-high 20.5 points and 9.25 assists over the course of four games.