TROY Rosario considered his stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament as the biggest break of his career.
The TnT Katropa stretch 4 said the experience playing against some of the world’s best players helped him improve his game and raised his self-confidence as a rookie.
“Doon nagsimula lahat,” said Rosario about one of the qualifiers for the Rio De Janeiro Games held in Manila. “Sakto yun kasi after yun ng (PBA) draft. Kaya tumaas pa lalo yung stock ko.”
Rosario was only in his first conference with the Katropa when the chance to play for Gilas Pilipinas came, and with no less than a berth in the Olympics at stake.
The former National University star made the Final 12 of coach Tab Baldwin that battled France and New Zealand in the preliminary round. He averaged 6.5 points and 7.0 rebounds on 20 minutes per game in his very first major stint with Gilas.
While the national team failed to advance to the knockout phase as a unit, the experience boosted Rosario’s faith in himself.
“Doon ako nakilala,” the soft-spoken big man said.
The event likewise helped Rosario regain self-esteem after he was cut from the Gilas lineup for the 2015 FIBA Asian Men’s Championship in China.
"Na-cut ako sa Gilas, siyempre bata pa ako noon,” said Rosario, who was part of the Gilas pool but never made the final 12-man roster.
“Napasama ako sa (Final) 15, kaya nakasama ako sa China, pero hindi ako nakalaro.”
If it was any consolation, former teammate and now TnT Katropa assistant coach Ranidel de Ocampo believes Troy deserved to play for the national team in both tournaments.
“Sinabi niya sa akin na dapat ikaw na ang isinama (final roster for FIBA Asia) para na-experience mo na," Troy recalled RDO, a longtime Gilas stalwart, telling to him that time.
“Tapos nung nakuha ako sa OQT sabi niya, paglalaruin ka rin pala sa OQT dapat nung FIBA-Asia pa lang isinama ka na.”
It took Rosario just a short while to prove his worth.
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