Marc Pingris tells Gilas Pilipinas young turks: ‘Play for name in front, not the back’
FOR veteran forward Marc Pingris, there’s absolutely no other more satisfying than playing for the national team.
A member of the 2013 Gilas Pilipinas team that finished second behind Iran in the FIBA Asia Championship in Manila, Mr. Pingris and company went on to qualify to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
There, in Seville, Spain, Gilas Pilipinas won its first game in the world stage since 1974 and the veteran forward became one of the team’s vital cogs, serving as the catalyst in defense and providing energy.
He played for Gilas Pilipinas for two more years, including the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship where the Filipinos settled for a silver, and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila last year.
His rich experience in the international competitions helped the 6-foot-5, many time All-Defensive team member in the PBA to grow not just as a player but as an individual.
“When you’re playing for the Philippines, you’re not playing for your name, but you’re playing for the name Pilipinas,” Mr. Pingris told BusinessWorld. “So I’m telling you guys, especially the younger players, play for the name in front, not the one at the back of your uniforms.”
Mr. Pingris showed up at Gilas Pilipinas training session for the first time Monday night where he is reunited with several teammates, including head coach Chot Reyes, who is returning as mentor of the national team, taking over from previous coach Tab Baldwin.
The hardworking forward was also welcomed by his former teammates — Jimmy Alapag, the former team captain and now a member of the coaching staff, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Abueva, Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and the other young players in the pool.
Looking back, Pingris summed up that playing for Gilas Pilipinas is all about sacrifice.
“We sacrificed a lot. We trained hard and we were away from our families for a long time,” added Mr. Pingris. “But here in Gilas, you find an extended family because the bonding among the team members is like no other.”