The mood was serious on Tuesday evening when Chooks-to-Go hosted a team dinner for Gilas Pilipinas at the Crowne Plaza in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong.
This was not the usual mood of the team during the thanksgiving celebrations that happen every after a FIBA World Cup Qualifier window.
Though saddened by the events that transpired between Gilas and the Australian Boomers, everyone has to move on and learn. That was the theme of the closing remarks of team patron Ronald Mascariñas to the 11 players present.
“Lahat tayo napagdaanan na natin ito in our lives. Most of the time we make the right decisions but we also make the wrong decisions,” Mascariñas shared. “But at the end of the day, we make the decision ourselves. The best way to move on is to be accountable. Let’s not blame it on others but be accountable to ourselves.”
Nine on-duty Gilas players, two pool players, and an official figured in an free-for-all brawl against the Australians last night. It drew mixed reactions from all over the world, with some praising the team for sticking together while others saw it as an embarrassment.
“Let us accept that and be the best part of ourselves,” he asserted.
Mascariñas shared that frustration is part of being a pro athlete. But what separates the best from the rest is the level of discipline they display.
“Si [Baser] Amer, si Gabe [Norwood], at si June Mar [Fajardo], they shared the same emotions, the same anger sa kayabangan nung mga Australians. They exercised a high level of self restraint. It was the highest level of self discipline,” he expressed.
“I would sincerely say na I admire you for that. I hope that we learn from them. Kahit papaano, may tatlong members of the team who were able to control their emotions and finish the game for the country,” he added.
Mascariñas knows that the team will face repercussions in the upcoming days. But for him, Gilas should face this head-on and continue to do what they do best – to inspire.
“Dadaan din ito. Whatever sanctions na ibigay ng FIBA to our team or individuals, let’s face it like a man. Beyond basketball, it’s a learning exercise,” he said.
“You are the ambassadors of goodwill in the country. Ang learning natin is to exercise more patience and tolerance. Even if binabastos tayo, the challenge is how we overcome that,” he added. “But at the end of the day, lahat naman kayo apologized — na we should not have behaved that way. The task now is to rebuild ourselves and redeem the respect of our countrymen.
“Idol kayo ng kabataan, we don’t want them to emulate that kind of behavior. Easier said than done but we have to do it.”
