KAI Sotto said he treasured the experience playing for Gilas Pilipinas in the world stage despite the team failing to log a single win in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade.
The Nationals bowed out in the pool play after losing both of their games to world No. 5 Serbia and Dominican Republic, yet showed glimpses of their potential as they continue to build for the future.
'You win or you learn'
"It's either you win or you learn. This time, learned a lot of things and that's a win for me. Grateful for this experience and thankful to be part of this amazing team. #parasabayan #puso," the 19-year-old center posted on his Instagram account.
Sotto gave a good account of himself in Belgrade, averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 steals as the 7-foot-3 big man paired up with 6-foot-10 naturalized center Ange Kouame in the Gilas frontline.
Unfortunately, the young team was unable to hurdle host Serbia, 83-76, on Thursday before falling to Dominican Republic, 94-67 on Friday.
Sotto and the rest of Gilas heads back home on Saturday as the team makes a quick pivot and prepare for the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup in Indonesia come August.
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