David honored to be part of Gilas despite being cut

MANILA, Philippines -- In Gilas Pilipinas' final game in the 37th William Jones Cup, Gary David put up a statement game waxing hot with 22 points to assure the silver medal without going through any complications. 

Unfortunately for the former PBA scoring champion, it was not enough to merit a spot in the final roster that will gun for an Olympic berth in the 2015 FIBA Asia Men's Championship in Changsa, China later this month. 

David was reduced to a cheerleader when Gilas trooped back to the court after that silver medal run in the Jones Cup. 

"Ever since na napili ako na sumama sa (national) pool, lagi ko namang sinasabi na makuha man ako o hindi sa Final 12, masaya na ako, honored ako na tinawag na mag-duty para sa Pilipinas," David told Philstar.com after Gilas won its first game in the MVP Cup against Talk n Text, 93-77, on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

The streaky shooter isn't stranger to this kind of situation.  From his days in Dinalupihan, Bataan to the Lyceum Pirates until his odyssey in the PBA, David always played with a chip on his shoulder.  

Nobody picked him to become a superstar in the PBA and much more become a fixture in the national team when he was still in the amateur leagues. But David always had that dream in him ever since he saw the likes of Samboy Lim and Allan Caidic on their neighbor's black and white TV playing for the Northern Consolidated Cement (NCC) which was the national team in the early 80's before the EDSA Revolution. 

In the previous Gilas team that went all the way to the FIBA World Cup, some fans asked for David's head in the early phase of the FIBA Asia tournament where he failed to explode just like he used to in the PBA. But instead of sulking, he used that as a motivation to rise to the challenge and he did explode in the knockout games. 

Despite his struggles in the last PBA season coming off from his previous Gilas stint, David felt blessed to have been one of those national players recalled for another tour of duty. 

But at 37, David knew his time to wear the Gilas jersey is running out as younger, faster and more athletic players have sprung up. He was among the final cuts that included former captain Jimmy Alapag, Aldrech Ramos and incoming PBA rookies Troy Rosario and Moala Tautuaa. But he doesn't have qualms about it. 

 'Yun nga hindi ako nakasama sa Final 12 pero kinausap ako ni coach Tab (Baldwin) na tuloy pa rin ako mag-practice (with the team). Wala namang problema sa akin kasi deserving naman silang lahat na nasa final lineup," David said. 

His only chance to play in Changsha is when unforeseen circumstances, which seems to have been plaguing this Gilas team since its formation almost two months ago, arise again.   

"Ready lang tayo kasi sa basketball, may mga injuries minsan na 'di mo maiiwasan (pero wag naman sana), at least handa tayo,"  David said.  

But more than that small chance to play one more time for Gilas, David relishes the bond that they have developed. 

"Saka andito pa rin ako nakasuporta sa kanila kasi parang kapatid na rin ang turingan namin," David said.