Facing adversity isn’t something new for Jayson Castro and SMART Gilas Pilipinas
SMART Gilas Pilipinas were badly bitten by the injury bug just days before the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, making it hard for head coach Chot Reyes to assemble the best line-up possible that can go head-to-head with Japan and Chinese Taipei.
But for the 31-year-old Jayson Castro, who has been with the Gilas program since 2013, issues such as injuries do not concern him much as it is the kind of problem that happens many times, not just with the Nationals.
“Halos nangyayari naman sa lahat ng team yan, kahit sa PBA,” the TNT Katropa star told Tiebreaker Times.
“Natural na lang yun.“
The Asia’s best point guard knows very well what he’s talking about, since he himself has been part of a few Gilas teams that had battled injuries with numerous players, but still accomplished what needed to be done then.
The good thing about this current set-up of the flag-bearers — particularly for the WCQ, according to Castro — is the concept of having a pool, as it gives the team the luxury of rotating players if ever one of them is hurt or simply has to rest.
“Yun naman yung kagandahan nung marami kami,” said the two-time FIBA Asia Championship silver medalist. “Maganda nga yung ‘di lang kami twelve, fifteen kami na ready to play. So kung may mawala man, magii-step up yung iba.
“May mga injury man yung iba, pero parang for me, sa nakikita ko sa practice, ready to play naman sila,” Castro furthered.
“Wala namang sigurong magiging problema.”
And despite all the bumps on the road, the soft-spoken Castro still likes SMART Gilas’ chances in the upcoming first window of the Qualifiers, which will start this November 24 against a vengeful Japan in Tokyo.
“Oo naman [gusto ko pa rin tsansa namin]. Yung past two weeks namin pinaghirapan namin ‘to, especially two-a-day yung practice. At the same time may viewing sessions pa,” he said.
“Hopefully magbunga yung pagtiyatiyaga namin.”
