KEVIN Alas is very grateful to get a call-up again for Gilas Pilipinas in the 19th Asian Games, just a year after skipping a stint in the national team.
Alas said the Gilas call-up for the Asian Games has a special meaning since he skipped the Southeast Asian Games last year in Hanoi as his wife Selena was in the middle of treatments against gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, a rare type of cancer. Selena has since recovered from the disease.
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“Um-oo agad ako and I informed my wife, si Selena. She was very, very happy for me,” said Alas. “Kasi nga if you remember nung SEA Games, I was part of the line-up na. I had to decline kasi I have to be there to take care of Selena.”
At the same time, Alas said he felt there are already players better than him from last year to now, both based locally and overseas, which is why he cherishes this return to the national team.
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“Napakalaking blessing to be part of the national team na kapag may opportunity, kung puwede, I’ll always say yes. Ako personally, I didn’t expect to be back with the national team na I know na may better guards sa PBA at international. Just being back with the national team, really, really grateful,” said Alas.
The last time Alas took part in a multisport competition, the Philippine team brought home the gold in the SEA Games in Myanmar in 2013. He also had call-ups during the Fiba qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup where he played two games, the last time in November 2017.
Making this call-up more special was that it came at nearly the same time as younger brother Kieffer's impressive showing in the Fiba Under-16 Asian Championship, where his exploits helped Gilas Youth clinch a spot in the Under-17 World Championships next year.
“I’m very, very happy sa performance niya… I don’t know how to express the words na very blessed kami na we are playing sa national team together. Sabay kami. Talagang napakasaya na sabay kaming naglalaro sa national team ngayon,” said Alas.
Alas is also cherishing the opportunity to play under Tim Cone, the winningest coach in the PBA.
“Talagang learnings. Para akong nag-aaral uli. I’m very, very blessed na napunta ako sa mga world-class coaches like coach Tim,” said Alas.
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