Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio thanked the Philippine Basketball Association and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for allowing their players to represent the country in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.
Panlilio said the gold medal will not be possible if not for the PBA and UAAP, who lent a helping hand to Gilas Pilipinas in the biennial meet that came to a close on Wednesday in Phnom Penh.
Among the PBA players who donned the national colors in the biennial meet are naturalized player Justin Brownlee and Christian Standhardinger of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, CJ Perez, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter of San Miguel Beer, Calvin Oftana of TNT Tropang Giga, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of NLEX, Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort and Chris Newsome of Meralco.
‘The competitiveness in the league allowed Gilas to rise above the challenge it faced in Cambodia.’
On the other hand, the UAAP players in the Gilas side were Jerom Lastimosa of Adamson University, Mason Amos of Ateneo de Manila University and Michael Phillips of De La Salle University.
“On behalf of the SBP, I would like to thank UAAP, the PBA, its team owners and the Board of Governors again for allowing its players to be part of the Gilas Team that won the gold medal in a hard fought match against the host country,” Panlilio said in his letter to the two basketball associations.
Panlilio added that the SBP is aware of the PBA’s contribution to the growth, development and success of basketball in the country.
“The competitiveness in the league allowed Gilas to rise above the challenge it faced in Cambodia,” Panlillio added, stressing that the success of the national team was dependent on the individual programs of partner institutions such as the UAAP and its member schools.
“The gold medal that Gilas Pilipinas had brought home would not have been possible without your (UAAP’s) support and cooperation. We are truly grateful for the skills and competitiveness that you have instilled and nurtured in your student athletes and their sense of national pride.”
As the country starts preparing for the most prestigious FIBA Basketball World Cup, which the country is hosting in August this year, Panlilio is calling for all basketball stakeholders “to be one and united in supporting Gilas Pilipinas as we compete in the international arena.”
