GILAS Pilipinas is keeping a positive attitude despite the injury of Scottie Thompson that potentially has a significant effect to the preparations of the team for the Fiba Basketball World Cup.
Head coach Chot Reyes said it is business as usual for Gilas Pilipinas following news that Thompson suffered a metacarpal fracture in his shooting hand during a practice in Lithuania. The timetable for Thompson’s recovery will only be known once he returns to Manila for a diagnosis.
See Anxiety in Gilas camp as Scottie suffers hand injury in practice
Reyes said the team, including Thompson, is maintaining a positive mindset to move on from the latest situation.
“It is very important for us to acknowledge it and be aware that the possibility of negativism enveloping the team is always there,” said Reyes in an interview posted by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Facebook page. “We made sure that, first, as coaches, we had to show the players not just by our words but by our energy and by our presence and our vibe that it’s business as usual.”
“We acknowledge Scottie is a very big piece of what we do but we need forward. That’s the first thing,” said Reyes.
Despite Thompson being hurt, Reyes said the reigning PBA MVP showed up in practice, a step in the right direction for the morale of the team.
“A lot of these is about role modelling. If you see the guy who is most affected staying positive and upbeat as well, obviously, it affects and infects everybody else. Talk about just being a real leader, I think Scottie continued to stand up and show his leadership in that sense,” said Reyes.
Reyes also said the entire team talked about Thompson’s injury.
“A lot of times, what I’ve learned is when you give players a chance to just voice out and air out what they are thinking and what they are feeling, it goes a long way towards dissipating that kind of negative energy. I think everyone was very upbeat. Everyone was reminded and continued to stay positive. We hope that continues,” said Reyes.
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