As a member of Gilas since 2008, Gabe Norwood knows what it takes to play at the world stage.
Gabe Norwood has seen it all as far as Gilas Pilipinas basketball is concerned.
Remember that time when, in a transition play with Jayson Castro, he threw it down against powerhouse Argentina’s Luis Scola in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain? Perhaps that was the best Gilas moment for the hardworking forward, who represented the country since 2008.
But Norwood wasn’t the only remarkable player in the national team’s campaign in Spain.
There was Jimmy Alapag, the diminutive point guard who made it rain from Steph Curry country. There was Jayson Castro, the two-time best point guard in Asia who didn’t care if the Eiffel Tower was on his way to the basket. There was naturalized Filipino Andray Blatche, who gave his foes problems with his ability to play inside and out.
And so on and so forth.
That celebrated squad went home with a historic overtime win against Senegal and the respect of the basketball community.
But to be able to play at that level, they needed two things: sacrifice and preparation. Norwood said those two were the keys to their impressive performance in Spain nine long years ago.
The new iteration of Gilas will need them, too, if it wants to put on a performance to remember. It's not gonna be easy, said another Gilas great in LA Tenorio. But it will definitely be meaningful.
“Whether that's two months or two weeks, just being dedicated to the time allotted. We’re lucky enough to have almost two and a half months to prepare before that World Cup in Spain, and we came out with one win,” Norwood said on the sports show The Game on Wednesday.
Now, Norwood is serving as local ambassador, far from the parquet floor where he made the highlights that will forever endure.
If you ask him now, Norwood would say he doesn't miss donning the Gilas jersey. But it would be a different story when he is one with the Filipino crowd inside the arena when the basketball showcase unfurls in August in Manila.
“From a distance, I’d like to say I don't miss it. But I’m sure when the tournament starts, we’ll get the itch to get back out there,” he said.
After bringing much honor to the Philippines wearing the blue-and-white jersey, Norwood is ready to cheer Gilas on as the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and San Miguel Corporation join forces in hosting the basketball showcase after 45 years.
“Our time has passed. We’re not the player, we’re the greats right?" he said, drawing laughter. "So, gotta put full support for Gilas moving forward."
The preparation starts next month, when Gilas opens its redemption campaign in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.