Maliksi tapped to join Gilas pool in place of injured Paul Lee

IN all the years of playing basketball, Allein Maliksi has never played for the national team.

This might be the opportunity he had been waiting for as the 6-foot-3 deadshot swingman from the Star Hotshots was tapped by Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes to be part of the 24- man pool that is currently training weekly in preparation for the coming SEABA Men’s Basketball Championship in Manila this May.

Mr. Maliksi will take over the spot of Hotshots teammate Paul Lee, who begged off from joining the pool as he is still recuperating from a knee injury.

For Mr. Maliksi, filling in the void left by Mr. Lee means bigger responsibilities along with his new role with Gilas Pilipinas where he is tasked to play the small forward spot.

He believes there’s more pressure coming along the way.

“As much as possible, you need to shoot every shot. There’s more pressure because the whole Philippine nation is watching and cheering for you,” Mr. Maliksi told BusinessWorld. Your role is shooter so you need to shoot it. You need to be more focused and have to work harder on practice. I just hope things would turn out well during the games.”

Pressure of playing, according to Mr. Maliksi, can be anywhere, but performing under pressure separates good players from great ones.

“There’s a big pressure playing for the Philippines, no doubt. But pressure comes anywhere — be it the PBA or in college games. You have to step up every game. You have to perform. The past games where you played good, it will be forgotten. You need to play better in the next game. You need to be consistent. With Gilas, they got me as their shooter and I expect to shoot. I need to step up to the role given to me by coach Chot Reyes,” he added.

But nothing makes Mr. Maliksi more excited than representing the Philippines for the first time in his career and if he’ll be given this opportunity, this will be the first time he’ll be playing in a major international event.

“It’s the biggest tournament I’ll be playing just in case I make the team. First time for me to play in the international competition carrying the Philippines. Before, I played in an international tournament in Dubai, but that was against club teams, the same tournament joined by Mighty Sports. This is the first high-level of basketball, which I will be joining in just in case. It’s difficult, but I need to improve,” he added.