AS A FORMER national team player himself, Gilas can always count on Marc Pingris for wisdom.
Pingris recently made his return to the PH team as an assistant coach to Chot Reyes. He said that he was tasked to train its big men.
He is part of the Gilas' training bubble in Araneta as they take on the February window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
"Mga footworks usually tinuturo ko. Kung ano 'yung napag-aralan ko kay coach Norman Black, 'yun din ang mga shine-share ko sa team ngayon," he told Spin Life.
Although he has officially retired from basketball last year, Pingris is yet to be done serving the national team. Being an assist to the coaching team is one of them.
Puso battlecry lives on in Marc Pingris
"Ganito pala ang pakiramdam ng coach. 'Nung una nga, gusto ko pang maglaro. 'Yung pakiramdam talaga na pinagsisilbihan mo 'yung bayan, iba eh, kaso ito na nga medyo nagkaka-edad," he said.
"But I'm happy na sa kung anong nai-ambag ko sa Gilas before, at nakikita mo naman mga bata, kung ano sinacrifice namin dati, ganon din ginagawa nila ngayon."
He may not be 'calling the shots' on the court, but the vocal player is focused on boosting their morales. After all, he's the guy who made the 'Puso' battlecry famous.
"Unang-unang sinasabi ko lang 'Maglaro kayo nang hindi dahil sa pangalan niyo sa likod, maglaro kayo dahil sa dala-dala natin ang Pilipinas,' he continued. "Sobrang proud kami sakanila, at sana maraming ma-inspire na kabataan."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
