New Gilas Pilipinas pool members Jordan Heading and Tzaddy Rangel are relishing the opportunity to learn as much as they can while being with the national team’s training bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba.
The former San Miguel Alab Pilipinas teammates are the latest additions to the program through the special Gilas round of the 2021 PBA Rookie Draft last March, which also featured Cadets William Navarro and Jaydee Tungcab.
Heading, 25, expressed how thrilled he is to pick the brain of program director Tab Baldwin, who’s been very hands-on in terms of helping fellow coaches Jong Uichico and Co. teach the system they’ve been trying to put in.
“He’s very intense and very serious about what he does,” the former Batang Gilas stalwart told The Game on One PH, Thursday. “It’s really fun just being able to watch him in his element, and just being able to pick his brain.
“He’s so intelligent about the game. He breaks down a little bit of every single play and that’s really the way that we also have to approach the game if we want to compete at the elite level — you know, Olympic qualifiers and the World Cup and things like that. So it’s super fun being able to learn from someone with world-class knowledge about the game of basketball.”
And all the lessons he’s been getting, though, is what makes this experience even more memorable for the Fil-Australian cager. For him, simply being part of the men’s team is already an honor in itself.
“Coach Jimmy Alapag, and he shared with me the honor to play for Gilas. I’ve played for Batang Gilas and I remember how amazing and how fun and how much of an honor that was. Of course, playing for the men’s team is gonna be even more so than that,” Heading said.
“I was really happy and really honored to be asked to be part of this. I was excited to join.”
Rangel, on the other hand, admitted struggling in terms of adjusting to Gilas’ ways. But the 6-foot-8 big man out of National University assured that he’s been trying his best to adapt since he knows how much he would benefit from this stint.
“Medyo nag-struggle lang ako ng konti sa mga systems nila sa offense, sa defense, kasi iba — iba yung approach, iba lahat. Medyo adjusting pa pero andun lagi yung effort, nakikinig and trying to do the right thing,” he said.
“Kung hindi mo mahal ‘yung basketball, you wouldn’t survive here sa Calambubble. You really have to love it and you have to embrace the system that they’re trying to put in. Kasi if wala kang paki, mahihirapan ka mentally.”
Aside from taking down notes from their esteemed mentors like renowned big man coach Alton Lister, Rangel is also seizing the opportunity of playing and growing with the soon-to-be naturalized Ange Kouame.
“Grabe yung work ethic ni Ange, lagi siyang nasa court. Defensively, angat talaga si Ange. Siya ‘yung anchor ng team,” he said.
“Defensively, I make it hard for him. As much as possible I put a body on Ange palagi.”
With all that, the former Hope Christian High School standout said that he’s taking everything in like a sponge, with the aim of not just proving that he belongs to the pool but developing as a player as well.
“As much as possible, gusto kong maging parang sponge eh. Gusto ko lahat ng new things na tinuturo nila, kailangan malagay ko ‘yun sa’kin to be able to improve pa,” he said.
“Just the do the hard work palagi, listen to them.”
