After months of preparation, Batang Gilas Pilipinas went home triumphant after their successful 2017 FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship campaign. Not only did the Nationals finish in fourth place, they were also able to punch one of the four tickets available for the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Championship.
And no one was more relieved than team manager Andrew Teh and the rest of his staff.
If the Gilas Elite have been struggling to have a complete practice in preparations for their tournaments, what more for the youth team as the team is composed of high school student-athletes from various parts of the country.
“Actually, sometimes sa mga ganitong kinds of tournaments, you really don’t expect that much. Mahirap yung mag-expect masyado. We’re very happy na nag-qualify tayo,” reflected Teh.
“Preparation-wise, it’s always going to be tough especially sa Batang Gilas. Yung players, they have their commitments to their schools first. They have different practice schedules and they have their own different tournaments,” the amiable Filipino-Chinese entrepreneur furthered.
“Very, very tough for us to do a complete practice but kahit ganun pa man, nakakaraos naman.”
Even if Batang Gilas qualified for the biggest tournament in youth basketball, the problem will still be the same as the schools begin their prep for their respective collegiate seasons during the summer tournaments.
That is why Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas vice chairman Robbie Puno disclosed that a revision is being filed in congress that will bar any institution from not lending their student-athletes to the national team.
“I’d just like to add, binanggit ni coach [Mike Oliver] yung problema sometimes with the schools and them allowing their students to play. Everyone here is a student-athlete,” expressed Puno during the Chooks-to-Go-hosted homecoming for Batang Gilas.
“About two years ago a student-athlete magna carta was filed in Congress. A recently filed bill naman made it illegal for institutions to prevent a student-athlete from joining a national team. I think the schools are beginning to see that they need to cooperate, but soon we will make it law that they have to cooperate,” he added.
“If an organization like a tournament decides that their schedule cannot accommodate the national team, they cannot prevent the players chosen by the national team.”
It was a pleasant development for Teh and the Batang Gilas program.
“It’s about time.
“Actually, sa totoo lang, some schools hindi nakakapagpahiram ng kanilang players for whatever reason. Kami naman, we always understand that kasi school’s have their own interests. We always try to understand it but kung may law na about it, mas madali na sa federation natin to borrow players especially if it’s required by law,” Teh opined.
And two of the student-athletes he is eyeing to add to the pool are 5-foot-9 combo guard Gerry Abadiano and 6-foot-7 big man Carl Tamayo — the catalysts to Nazareth School of National University’s golden run in the 2018 NBTC National Championship.
“We are looking at Tamayo and Abadiano of NU. Hopefully, sana mapahiram ni Coach Goldwin [Monterverde]. We are still hoping,” Teh shared.
“I’m sure naman sooner or later papayagan sila ni Coach Goldwin.”
