NOW comes the hard part.
Against the big odds, the Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 squad left for Graz, Austria last night for the FIBA 3×3 Olympic qualifying tournament set from May 26 to 30.
The quartet of San Miguel Beer teammates CJ Perez and Mo Tautuaa, Fil-Am wingman Joshua Munzon, and Alvin Pasaol, with reserves Karl Dehesa and Leonard Santillan wound up their preparations last Saturday at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Dehesa was left out of the trip as he was still completing a 14-day quarantine period.
Santillan, a Rain or Shine rookie big man, said he and his teammates are staying disciplined in their bid to pull off a surprise in the tilt and gain one of the three slots at stake for the Tokyo Olympic Games in July.
“Iyong disiplina talaga, hindi tayo nagpabaya noon. Alam kasi natin na magiging mas malaki sa atin iyong kalaban,” Santillan said.
“Kaya talagang disiplina lang talaga,” he added.
Bracketed in Group C of the four-group, 20-country joust, Gilas will square off with Qatar and Slovenia this Wednesday.
With PBA great Ronnie Magsanoc calling the shots, the Filipino cagers tackle Dominican Republic and France two days later.
World No. 20 Gilas needs to finish in the top 2 of its group to reach the knockout rounds.
Perez and Tautuaa were part of the gold medal-winning team in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila in 2019, while Munzon, Pasaol, and Santillan are the Nos. 1, 2, and 8 3×3 players in the country, respectively.
Whether he gets to suit up or stay as an alternate, the 6-foot-5 Santillan vowed to do whatever it takes.
“Born ready naman tayo. Kung anuman ang desisyon nila, walang samaan ng loob dahil para sa Pilipinas naman ito,” Santillan, who was tabbed fifth overall by the Elasto Painters in the pro league draft last March, said.
“Kung ma-line-up, alam ko naman magiging role ko sa team, depensa ng todo. Kung hindi man ma-line up, ready ako maging cheerleader.”
Santillan is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the team.
