Gilas 4.0 The Road to Rio

AMERICAN coach Tab Baldwin is busy building the Gilas 4.0 Team faced with the gargantuan task of bringing back the Philippine flag to the Olympics. Taking time out from his usual coaching chores, Baldwin made a sales pitch for t-shirts, which he said, have the unique ability of making a beautiful future for basketball in the Philippines. These shirts are not you ordinary daily wear, though. Not because they will make the wearer fly like Michael Jordan, nor will they allow you to shoot the ball from way, way out ala-Steph Curry. These shirts are official Gilas merchandise, whose proceeds will go the Gilas and Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas grassroots program. “The reason for me doing this is the genuine passion for the sport. Knowing that was enough for me to get on board,” said Baldwin, during the Gilas Official Merchandise launch recently. Baldwin has recognized the big potential of the brand Gilas becoming a hit internationally, but before savvy entrepreneurs take advantage of its growing popularity, it must be used for a great cause. “This isn’t just about branding, this is all about what the whole campaign of Gilas means to this country and that this merchandise is the best way for all people of this country who love the sport of basketball to enjoy the Gilas brand, to be part of the Gilas brand, the large Gilas family. In a small way, all those buying this official merchandise, gives back to the future of the game in this country,” added Baldwin. Mel Macasaquit of Melmac Sport, was given a license by the SBP, to manufacture and market official Gilas merchandise, on the condition that they would be affordable to ordinary Filipino basketball fans. Major proceeds, too, will have to go to the grassroots program of basketball. “There are a lot of Gilas items in the market today and only a few are reaping the benefits from it. So one night, I met with the SBP and MVP Sports Foundation to hatch the idea. Now, here are the Gilas merchandise, officially licensed, very affordable and profits going back to basketball,” said Macasaquit.

And Baldwin was quick to appeal to the fans not to patronize the “fake ones.” “It doesn’t make any sense to buy any shirt that has no (official) tag on it, so that’s my appeal to the fans. It’s important, that when we look at the kids in this country, who love the sport and play the game, whether it’s on street corners, on makeshift gyms, on beaches with a basketball nailed to a coconut tree, these are the people that needs SBP support, these are the kids that need coaches, these are the kids that need basketball in their hands, these are the kids that need to shoot a real hoop on which to shoot, and that takes money,” he said. “And if some of that money will come from these shirts, then would we go to any other place to support to these kids playing basketball? To me, it’s common sense, I’m proud to promote the legitimacy of these project. Let’s make this place a better place to live in,” Baldwin continued. Gilas merchandise can be bought online by simply logging onto the Gilas site operated by Melmac and Takatack.com and can be paid using PayMaya card. Fans can also visit Robinson Malls nationwide and buy through cash or use PayMaya card for debit payment. Olympic Qualifier When asked about his main task of forming the best for the Olympic qualifying in July at the Mall of Asia Arena, Baldwin said he is confident that he will be able to form the best team possible. Baldwin is hailed by the Kiwis for bringing their national team—the Tall Blacks—to their highest achievement–the semifinals of the 2001 World Championships. He made Filipinos proud by steering the Gilas team to silver medals in the William Jones Cup in Taipei and the FIBA Asia Cup in China last year. And what made it all the more impressive was the fact that the Gilas team that took part was without the PBA’s best players. “We’re looking good. It’s great working with a great organization like the MVP Group. In all the experience that I had gone through around the world and in all the coaching that I had done, I had never seen the kind of support that we have been getting from an organization like the MVP. If it can be done, it will be done by this organization,” Baldwin said. Dubbed as underdogs, Gilas will be up against powerhouse teams New Zealand and France, which will be bannered by NBA stars Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Nicolas Batum, and Rudy Gobert. New Zealand may have Oklahoma City Thunder’s Steven Adams in its roster. Gilas has to get at least three wins to clinch one of the three remaining berths to the Olympics set in August in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Baldwin said any team is beatable, even France, and he is banking on Gilas’ spirit, plus the full support of the Filipino fans. “I think our players want to show the other teams that we are equal, if not the better team. That’s what we’re all hoping for,” he said. Dedication and character Baldwin is now on daily grind of picking the best candidates for the Gilas 4.0 squad and if there is one player that he definitely wants to have in his roster, it’s Terrence Romeo of GlobalPort. “I’ll tell you this, if we have basketball players in this country that have the work ethics and dedication like Terrence Romeo’s, we would have some NBA players right now.  Because I have never seen a basketball player who is dedicated to his craft like this kid is. He makes the most of what God has given him. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Terrence,” said Baldwin.