FOR Chris Newsome, now is the time to elevate his leadership with Gilas Pilipinas in the preparations for the two international tournaments in the coming months.
Now 36 and one of the elder statesmen on the Philippine national team, Newsome said his approach for the build-up for the fourth window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers and 20th Asian Games is to pass down knowledge to the younger generation.
“Now that I think I’m the eldest now – me and June Mar [Fajardo] – so I think now is the time that I really have to pass down those lessons from the OQT playing Latvia and the Asian Games even, winning the gold there,” he said, looking back at Gilas' upset of Latvia in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and historic Asiad gold.
“It’s really time for me to be 'Kuya New' out there with Gilas. And I’m definitely open to that.”
Newsome has been a national team mainstay, with gold medals in the 2019 and 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Manila and Cambodia, respectively, then the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China part of his trophy case.
His desire for the leadership role, however, doesn’t mean the Meralco guard no longer wants to be out there on the court itself.
“I’m going to do that role to the best of my ability because we’ve got some talent that’s coming up in this next generation and I’m excited to see them grow. But at the same time, I’m going to give it my all for so long as I’m putting that jersey on,” he said.
“That’s my commitment, my sacrifice from myself, from my team, from my family. I promise that any time that I get the call to suit up for the country, I’m going to be there.”
Nothing new for Newsome
Gilas is going all out for the two important games in the FIBA window when they go up against Jordan on August 28 and Iran on August 30, with both games being held at home at the Mall of Asia Arena.
READ: Geo Chiu, RR Pogoy, Cjay Perez added to Gilas pool for FIBA qualifiers
The Filipinos will look to bounce back and learn from losses in the July window against New Zealand and Australia.
“I’m definitely going to make sure that I’m there 100-percent and make sure that I’m there with that energy that we had, remembering our last game from Australia," he said.
"And as we move forward, we’ve got to take those lessons, let the younger guys continue to grow, let them understand how we continue to improve, and just take all the lessons that we’ve learned throughout my journey with Gilas.”
Newsome is also eager to play in the Asiad where Gilas is the defending champion - but will now be without overseas-based players from Japan and Korea due to their contractual obligations with their mother ball clubs.
“Everybody for that matter is going to have that target on the Philippines as the defending champs. And we've just really got to accept the challenge and know what lies ahead," he said.
“That’s where I feel like my experience is going to come in, take some of the lessons that C-Ross (Chris Ross) and some of those older guys, veterans that were on that Asian Games team. And now I've got to be that guy to pass down that knowledge for the guys that are coming in this time around.”
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