Young once to help young ones

MANILA, Philippines — Veteran pros in the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers led by Marc Pingris expressed readiness to help “mentor” the youth brigade set to have their initiation in the major international hoops next month.

Pingris and 10 other PBA stalwarts beef up the collegiate stars the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has named in the hybrid roster it’s assembling for the Asia Cup qualifying games against Thailand and Indonesia.

“Kung di man, basta kung ano’ng maituturo ko sa mga bata (If I can’t crack the Final 12, I’ll help in whatever way I can especially in guiding the youngsters),” said the 38-year-old Pingris.

One of the holdovers from the Gilas batch that made an amazing run in its FIBA Basketball World Cup debut back in 2014, Pingris can be an influential voice to cadets like Isaac Go, Mike and Matt Nieto,  Rey Suerte, Allyn Bulanadi and Thirdy Ravena, whom the SBP are developing in earnest for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

SBP president Al Panlilio said the aim is to “expose our younger players and work build an up-tempo team.”

“It’s the early days of our program so we want to test youngsters who may be deserving of a shot in future big tournaments,” said Panlilio of the young guns, who also include Jaydee Tungcab, Kobe Paras, Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, Dave Ildefonso, Fil-Am Dwight Ramos and Justin Baltazar.

Pingris was a familiar fixture with Gilas, having seen action in the Spain worlds as well as the 2013 and 2015 editions of the FIBA Asia meet, before being hit by an assortment of injuries.

The workhorse from Pozorrubbio, Pangasinan went down with an ACL injury in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup playoffs and just returned to active duty in the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup. Thus, his call up came as a surprise.

“Akala ko nga biro lang at hindi ko inakala na masasama ako kahit sa pool man lang (I thought it was a joke; I didn’t really expect to be included even in the pool),” he said.

“Feeling blessed talaga. Walang-wala sa isipan ko na iko-consider man lang ako dahil ang tagal nating na-layoff, and talagang wala pa sa 100 percent (It’s a blessing. It didn’t cross my mind to be considered inasmuch as I just came from a long layoff and I’m still not 100 percent now),” he added.

Pingris, who is expected to bring his trademark “puso” in this latest Gilas team foray, is joined by fellow World Cuppers Japeth Aguilar, Kiefer Ravena, CJ Perez, Troy Rosario and RR Pogoy, and PBA stalwarts Christian Standhardinger, Ray Parks, Mac Belo, Poy Erram and Matthew Wright in the pool.

The coach of the team is expected to be named soon as Gilas is already set to hit the court against the Thais on Feb. 20 and versus the Indons three days later in Group A action.