IT takes one to know one.
Former Gilas Pilipinas mainstay and now assistant coach Marc Pingris sees NorthPort star Robert Bolick as likely the next leader of the Filipino cagers.
“Kung gusto mong maging leader, kailangan kang bumuo ng relationship sa mga teammates mo kasi hindi makikinig sa ‘yo iyang mga iyan kung wala kang relasyon sa kanila,” Pingris said yesterday in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association forum.
“Hindi ka nila titingnan na leader kung wala kang relasyon sa kanila. Maliit na bagay iyon, pero malaki ang magagawang impact sa buhay natin,” he added.
Pingris, 40, who was also named Commissioner of newly formed pro league Pilipinas Super League, gushed at the work the 6-foot-1 former San Beda University standout has been doing.
“Sobra kasi niyang sipag. Sabi niya ‘ito ang pangarap ko, na maglaro dito sa Gilas’,” Pingris said of Bolick in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corporation, Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and Pagcor.
Aside from Bolick, also in the national team training pool working out at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center in Katipunan for the first window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers later this month are Japan B. League imports Thirdy Ravena and Dwight Ramos, Juan Gomez de Liaño, William Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel, LeBron Lopez, and naturalized player Ange Kouame.
The nine will be bolstered by players from defending PBA Philippine Cup champion TNT.
Gilas tackles rival South Korea in Group A on Feb. 24 and 28 and India on Feb. 25, and New Zealand two days later behind closed doors in a virtually no-bearing window since the Nationals already have a slot in the World Cup next year as one of the hosts at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in
Pingris, who typified the Gilas mantra “puso” in the past, said he is also sharing lessons and wisdom he got from fellow PBA great Danny Ildefonso to the Nationals.
