Kobe Paras and the whole UP Fighting Maroons had just arrived from a grueling 15-hour trip from Naga on Wednesday after seeing action in the PCCL Luzon Qualifiers, which they dominated.
That, however, did not stop the 6-foot-6 forward from visiting Gilas Pilipinas’ practice at the Meralco Gym.
Paras came by and watched his fellow pool members prepare for the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers’ first window, which is set next week. The Nationals will take on Thailand and Indonesia.
“He came from Naga with UP. He took a fifteen-hour trip and went straight here,” said Gilas team manager Gabby Cui.
For Paras, who has been nursing a shoulder injury picked up during the last UAAP season, he made it a point to attend to prove his commitment to the team.
“Just happy I made it to practice today. Kahit injured pa ‘ko, at least pinapakita ko kay coach na whatever happens, I just wanna be here to understand and get to know his system talaga,” he said.
“This is the national team. It’s not like I can just say no to this. I’d make sure na whatever happens, andito lang ako.”
Paras saw the “hybrid” pool in action — hybrid since it is a mixture of young players, like him, and veteran PBA cagers — and he expressed excitement in working with them soon.
“Excited. All these guys are talented. All these guys I’ve played against. Most of them, I’ve looked up to as well,” the second generation said.
“It’s gonna be fun. Just because it’s not like the usual team that we have na puro PBA, at least now bata pa rin kami. We’re starting to understand the system.”
And regarding that system being taught by interim head coach Mark Dickel and program director Tab Baldwin, Paras feels thrilled with it as well, even calling it “amazing”.
“It’s amazing. I wish I knew this last year pa para we could’ve beaten them in the UAAP, pero wala,” he quipped.
“It’s something else. And it’s something na you learn something new every day. It’s not a system na it’s just isang bagay lang — it’s a lot of parts. It’s just exciting just because bago siya sa’kin.”
Paras can’t wait to buckle down to work with Gilas, and looks to practice next week. He wants to be at a hundred percent first, though, so he hopes that he will be by that time.
“Hopefully by next week okay na ‘ko. But I wanna make sure na I’m a hundred percent,” he said.
“I’m still injured from the UAAP, so hopefully I can get better. These injuries, you can’t really control, so hopefully God can guide me and strengthen me by the time.”
