Marc Pingris accepted Gilas Pilipinas’ offer to be its assistant coach last week – a challenge so big with the second window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers happening at the end of the month.
But the former national team stalwart did not hesitate to accept the job, because it’s a call of duty for the country.
“Noong tinawagan ako ni Coach Chot na willing ba ako tumulong sa Gilas, kako, ‘Ang dali naman sagutin niyan coach kahit sino ba naman tawagan niyo, para sa bayan naman eh talagang oo naman diyan!‘” shared Pingris on Tuesday’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
But the 6-foot-4 forward-turned-coach admitted that the team is not that ready yet with the tournament starting in a week.
In fact, that was the first thing he told head coach Chot Reyes on Monday, the first practice Pingris joined.
“Ang sinabi ko kay Coach talaga na sobrang bigat ng tinanggap mo ngayon. Sobrang bigat,” said Pingris, who was once the voice of the Puso battlecry.
“Why? Sasabihin ko sa inyo na alam ko hindi pa siguro gaano ready ‘yung team dahil binubuo niya pa lang talaga.”
Reyes, who steered the country to the 2014 FIBA World Cup, was named as Gilas head coach just last January 31 after Tab Baldwin stepped down.
The current squad is composed of players from Reyes’ TNT Tropang Giga alongside Northport’s Robert Bolick; B.League imports Dwight Ramos and Thirdy Ravena; cadets Juan Gomez de Liano, William Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel, and Lebron Lopez; and Ateneo’s Ange Kouame.
With this ragtag squad abruptly built, Pingris worries that despite the individual skillset of the players, it might be no good without the bonding outside of basketball.
Chemistry played a good part in the Philippines’ success back in 2014, which Pingris was a big part of.
“Katulad noong kami dati two months niya talaga kami pinrepare na pupunta kami ng ibang bansa, makikipag tuneup game,” recalled the two-time FIBA Asia silver medalist, as he is fondly called due to his all-out play.
“Saka may bonding talaga kami, nag-paint kami as a team, pinakilala namin ‘yung bawat isa. Maganda ‘yung bonding namin,” continued Pingris, who is helping out the team as big man coach.
“Kapag nagtatayo ka kasi ng team uunahin mo talaga bonding bago ‘yung magandang practice kasi pag practice agad tapos wala naman bonding ‘yung mga player, kahit anong galing niyang mga yan hind mabubuo ‘yung team.”
But Reyes and his whole coaching staff are ready to take the challenge with their first game on February 24 against South Korea.
They will then play India on the 25th, New Zealand on the 27th, and South Korea anew on the 28th.
“Kulang pa kami sa player, sa scrimmage, sa 5-on-5, sa tuneup gawa na rin ng pandemic ang hirap humanap ng team. ‘Yun ‘yung mga ginagawan namin ng paraan ngayon para maging solid ‘yung team.”
