Moving on from success, Newsome eyes triumph with Meralco this time

Chris Newsome (front) will help Meralco reach for the sky.—AUGUST DELA CRUZ

The joy of reaching the top while playing for flag and country has made Chris Newsome even more thirsty to complete the goal he has been chasing since entering the Philippine Basketball Association.

“We still have a promise that we haven’t achieved yet, which is to get Meralco its first championship,” Newsome told The Inquirer. “I definitely want to see that manifest, and for that day to come.”

Newsome and the Bolts have attempted multiple times to fulfill that promise, only to lose all of their four attempts to Barangay Ginebra in the 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022 Governors’ Cup Finals.

Interestingly, Newsome got to be part of Gilas Pilipinas’ team that ended the country’s long wait for a gold medal at the Asian Games (Asiad) under Tim Cone, the same coach who thwarted Meralco’s bid of being in the winner’s circle.

Cone put plenty of trust in Newsome, who in Gilas’ gold-clinching win over Jordan in the final of the Hangzhou Asiad was a key player on both ends, particularly with his work in defending naturalized player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

It was actually the second gold Newsome took home this year. He was also part of Gilas’ run to victory in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games last May.

But prevailing in the Asian Games obviously shines more for Newsome, who had plenty of time to savor the fruits of his labor.

He did, however, take into heart what Cone had said after Gilas was able to wear their medals on their necks.

“He said that the hardest thing for a player is to move on,” Newsome recalled. “Lot of times when you lose, you wanna move on right away, and try to get back and correct your wrongs.

But he said that the same type of feeling should apply when you win. Of course, you wanna sink in that a little longer than when you have lost, but regardless, you gotta move on.

“I’m going to take note those words from Coach Tim, and now it’s time to move on and focus on what’s ahead, especially with my commitment to Meralco, to that franchise and to that team,” he added.

Meralco has been a contender in recent times, making the semifinals in six of the last seven conferences. INQ