CHRIS Newsome was just too glad to see college pal Greg Slaughter finally given the go-signal to play for the Philippine team without restriction by FIBA.
Now he hopes the same thing can be applied to him.
Although aware his playing eligibility has yet to be cleared by the world governing body for the sport, Newsome stressed he’s always been ready to suit up for flag and country.
“I would love to if ever the opportunity arises,” said Newsome Sunday when he caught up and had a good, old conversation with Slaughter, his former Ateneo teammate, shortly after Team Pilipinas’ tune-up game against the IECO Green Warriors at the Meralco gym.
“Hopefully in the future though, I would definitely be open for a call,” added the Fil-Am guard. “It would be dream come true the moment I get to put a Pilipinas jersey on. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed for that, and hopefully it comes up soon.”
On Saturday, Slaughter was cleared by FIBA to play as a local for the national team seeing action in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
While the 7-foot- Ginebra center obtained his Filipino passport just a month after turning 17 – FIBA rule requires foreign-born player to obtain a passport of the country he or she intends to represent before turning 16 to be eligible as a local – the basketball body took exception to the fact that Slaughter studied and finished college in the country, where he has been living for the past 11 years.
Newsome also got his Philippine passport late, but hopes the case of Slaughter would also be applied to him by FIBA.
“I just saw Greg got his clearance so I’m happy for him. And I’m hoping that since I was able to play at Ateneo, and I’ve been here ever since that, I kind of get a little bit of leeway on that if ever I applied,” said the 28-year-old guard from San Jose, California.
“Of course I’ve got my passport late so that’s one thing that is holding me from actually being part of the lineup. But if they can try their best to find a way around it, like I said in Greg’s case, I studied here, I graduated from here, and I’ve been living here, then hopefully that goes through.”
Newsome was actually set to see action for the national team during the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, but never get to fulfill that dream as FIBA began to strictly enforce its eligibility rule.
So rather risk the eligibility surrounding his status, Newsome was left out in the team coached by Norman Black, his same mentor at Ateneo.
Incidentally, Slaughter was the starting center of that unit which ran away with the gold medal.
“I was in the practice team but when they went to Jakarta I had to stay behind because of that rule,” recalled Newsome. “It’s unfortunate but it’s just one of those things that are out of my control.”
The Meralco guard kept his fingers crossed about a possible stint in the last Asian Games, where rules on foreign-bred players are not as stringent as in FIBA-sanctioned tournaments.
“I was hoping they’re going to call me or at least consider me for the Asian Games, but I understand that they took Rain or Shine’s core, so that made sense to keep their chemistry together,” said Newsome, adjudged PBA Rookie of the Year in 2016.
Still, the dream lives on for ‘Awesome Newsome.’
“Hopefully, in the future though, I’ll definitely be open for a call,” he said.
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