A FIRST championship with Barangay Ginebra. Now a return stint with Gilas Pilipinas.
Troy Rosario said there’s no greater feeling for a player than to represent flag and country in the international stage, so personally celebrating his maiden PBA championship with the gin Kings can wait for a little while.
“May [call-up], eh. So kailangan ko munang i-postpone yung celebration and focus muna sa preparation for the coming FIBA window,” said Rosario on the eve of Gilas Pilipinas’ departure for its Australian training camp ahead of the third window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
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Rosario and Ginebra teammates Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos only started practicing with the national team on Monday during an open workout with fans and basketball enthusiasts at the FilOil EcoOil Arena Centre after playing in the deciding Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals last week against TNT.
The Kings won, 88-76, giving Rosario his first championship with the Kings since joining the franchise in 2024.
A day after the title clincher, the big man out of National University's impressive play in the PBA Finals was rewarded when he was named as part of the 12-man Gilas roster for its coming road games in New Zealand and Australia.
Rosario initially served as practice player for Gilas in the first two windows of the qualifiers, but would fell short of making it to the final lineup both times.
Yet, the 6-foot-7 forward soldiered on and eventually, got the nod of coach Tim Cone after an outstanding performance in the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals against TNT where he was Ginebra's staring center.
“To be called up as part of the Final 12, isang malaking karangalan kasi nagbunga yung mga paghihirap na ginawa ko. And hopefully, donning the Gilas Pilipinas jersey, makakuha kami ng panalo,” said Rosario.
This marked Rosario’s first Gilas stint in a FIBA sanctioned meet, but previously suited up for the national team that won the gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games and the South East Asian Basketball Association Championships (SEABA).
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