RAIN or Shine coach Yeng Guiao expressed full support for Adrian Nocum in his Gilas Pilipinas debut in the 20th Asian Games, a well-deserved one with the work he put on over the years.
Nocum has been called up to the Asiad national team following his consistently strong showing for the Elasto Painters in his three years in the PBA.
“Una, natutuwa kami. Pangalawa, very proud kami of his achievements,” Guiao told SPIN.ph of Nocum, the 24th overall pick in the Season 48 draft.
“Madalas ko sabihin ito na napakaganda ng kwento ni Adrian. Isang batang nanggaling sa Tondo, nagsumikap, nagsipag, nagbanat ng buto, maraming pinagdaanan. Alam naman natin na No. 24 siya sa draft, parang hindi siya masyadong napapansin, pero nung nabigyan siya ng break, pinatunayan niya na karapat-dapat siya sa PBA.
“At ngayon, hindi lang sa PBA, karapat-dapat na siya para sa Gilas national team natin. Tuwang-tuwa kami at proud na proud kami sa na-achieve ni Adrian.”
Nocum joins RJ Abarrientos, Justin Arana, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Justine Baltazar, Brandon Bates, Sedrick Barefield, Robert Bolick, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Zavier Lucero, Calvin Oftana, and Don Trollano in Gilas, which begins its title defense on Friday against Bahrain.
READ: Guiao's message to Nocum after Asiad call-up: 'Make us proud'
Guiao confirmed that Nocum reached out to say thanks for making his dream of being part of the national team a reality, and the former pointed to the latter's gesture as testament to what kind of person the RoS guard is.
“Hindi ko nga akalain na makakarating pa sa labas kasi private message lang. Nagpasalamat siya na narating niya ‘yung pangarap niya, so siguro, alam mo na pagka dumarating ‘yung milestone na ganyan sa buhay mo, binabalikan mo rin kung paano ba ako nakarating dito, sino ba ‘yung mga nakapag-contribute sa success ko," he said.
"So makikita mo na may gratitude ‘yung bata. Tamang character. Tamang pagpapalaki ng magulang. May malasakit siya. Meron siyang pagtanaw sa mga nakatulong sa kanya.
“Pero sinabi ko sa kanya deserve niya ‘yun. Ibig sabihin, siguro nakatulong kami nang konti, mga coaches niya sa Mapua pa, sa San Juan pa, kahit nung bata pa siya, nung nag-umpisa siya, nakatulong kami nang konti. Pero actually, most of the work, siya naman ang gumawa, so deserve niya ‘yun.”
Guiao also said “no pressure” to Nocum, reminding his ward not be too carried away with the Gilas stint where he will go up against the best of Asia.
“‘Yun ang sinabi ko, ayoko kasi na mag-overthink siya or ipilit niya na kailangan niya mag-perform. Ibigay mo lang kung ano ‘yung kaya mo. Lalabas at lalabas din naman ‘yun,” he said.
Next level Nocum
With the way he is playing, Guiao also roots for Nocum to make it to the 'main' national team competing in FIBA tournaments.
“Si Adrian kasi, he can be effective on both ends. Maganda siya dumepensa, may opensa naman siya. He can get downhill. Actually, ‘yung three-point shot niya, medyo na-develop na," he said.
"Kumpyansa lang siguro dahil doon sa Gilas, ang dami ring shooter eh, magdedesisyon ka kung ikaw titira o ibibigay mo sa iba. Baka ‘yung buong kumpiyansa, wala pa roon, pero tingin ko, darating din ‘yun.”
Guiao also looks forward to seeing the improvements that Nocum will show once he returns to Rain or Shine for the resumption of PBA action.
“Asian Games, hindi biro ‘yan. Ang taas ng level of competition diyan, so ang tingin ko, marami siyang matututunan diyan. Marami siyang matututunan sa coaching staff ng Gilas, lalo na kay coach Tim [Cone]," he said.
"So lahat ng matututunan niya diyan, kami makikinabang. Kaya natutuwa rin kami na ‘yung experience niya, ‘yung bago niyang mga knowledge, pagbalik niya, sa amin naman niya magagamit.”
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