Wright, Vanguardia happy to see Torres picked for Gilas pool
He may have been shocked by his selection, but Norbert Torres vowed to fight for his spot after being named to the 24-man Gilas Pilipinas pool.
“Anytime you’re playing for your country, it’s a big deal for any player. I’m eager to prove my worth and to go up against guys like June Mar is really good for me,” he said.
“To be selected to represent your country is a big step in anyone’s career, so for me to get it already into the PBA, I was really honored.”
Torres is no stranger to donning the national colors, being part of the SEABA Championship and Southeast Asian Games squads back in 2015 and a member of the under-18 squad for coach Franz Pumaren.
Matthew Wright, a longtime friend of Torres, is also ecstatic over the chance to with his fellow Fil-Canadian buddy in the national team.
“I’m probably happier than he is,” he shared.
“It gets me a little more motivation to have Norbert in the team. We grew up together since 10 years old and had a chance to play in 2008 in (Philsports Arena) for RP-Youth when I was 17. Fast forward nine years later, we have a chance to play in Gilas together, so it’s unbelievable.”
Coach Chot Reyes shared that the choice for the Gilas selection in Phoenix went down between Torres and veteran JC Intal, who suited up in the silver medal-winning 2015 Fiba Asia Championship in Changsha, China. Ultimately, the mentor opted for the younger Torres as he puts a premium on youth and height.
“But JC [Intal] is 33, so in three years time, he’ll be 36. It wasn’t going to work out for us, so we decided it was Norbert Torres,” said Reyes.
Though it came as a shock to some, Fuel Masters coach Ariel Vanguardia said that Torres’ selection was no surprise to him at all, saying that the 27-year-old’s skills perfectly fit the international game.
“In the international game, you need Norbert’s outside shooting, and he’s been proving to me that he can also get those rebounds. He can space out the floor and he can give that extra advantage in the international game,” the coach said. “He’s young and he’s the future of (Phoenix). We’re investing in him and it’s a good thing that coach Chot sees that progress.”
