Following the dismal showing of the Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is doing everything it can to form a lineup that Filipino sports fans can be proud of for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games on home soil.
One of the players in the pool is Isaac Go of Ateneo. As one of the eight collegiate players to have made the roster, the 6-foot-7 big man was understandably full of pride to have the chance to play for flag and country.
“I honestly got surprised.
“No one really said anything. It came out of the blue. I guess I feel honored to be able to represent the country at home. I haven’t donned the national team colors ever since I graduated from high school. So it’s a big opportunity for me. It’s an honor. Not everybody gets selected so I hope that I make the most out of it,” expressed Go.
If Go, who is part of the 23 for 2023 cadets, indeed makes the final cut, the SEA Games will be the first time he will represent the country at the seniors level after being part of FIBA Under-16 and SEABA Under-18 campaigns. And it is safe to say those campaigns are some of the highlights of his career so far.
“I guess it was there when I first opened my eyes to see the international competition, to see how good international teams are getting, how good our neighboring countries are getting.
“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity because through that program, I got to go abroad even more for training camps, for tournaments and it’s something that makes me realize that there’s more to basketball. There’s a lot there out there,” said the 2019 PBA D-League MVP.
Aside from his achievements in Ateneo, the opportunity to play with PILIPINAS on his jersey must be the biggest success for Go. Not bad for a guy who suffered a shoulder injury just before his Ateneo stint can even begin back in Season 77. But he prefers to credit the people around him for that remarkable turnaround.
“Everybody has an opportunity to bounce back from injury. I’m lucky that Ateneo has a great medical staff, great coaches, I have great teammates, my family was to support me, my friends, everybody was there to help me bounce back and it’s a collective effort,” he said.
“No one person can bounce back from any injury. There’s a support group. There are guys who are there when you’re down and there are other guys who’ll help you and be there to celebrate your success.”
It will be interesting to see how Go, alongside fellow Blue Eagle standout Thirdy Ravena, meshes with collegiate rivals such as Justine Baltazar, Dave Ildefonso, Ricci Rivero, Kobe Paras and Juan Gomez de Liano considering all of their battles on the hardcourt. But the two-time UAAP gold medalist is relishing the opportunity to do so.
“It’s gonna be fun. I mean it’s gonna be fun because we only compete against these guys. We don’t see the other side of them, the off-the-court side, and it’s a perfect opportunity to meet them. I mean, who knows? They may be our teammates in the pros so it’s a great chance to be friends,” said the two-time UAAP champion.
“We know when they cross those lines, it’s nothing personal but outside the court, we can all be friends.”
