AARON Black welcomes the great opportunity sharing the same court with some of the country’s top players after becoming part of the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
The Meralco guard considered it an honor being named to the 28-man roster submitted by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, from where the Final 12 that will comprise the national squad will be formed.
READ: Here's the 28-man Gilas pool for SEA Games
If ever he makes it, it’s the first time Black will be playing with the men’s national team.
But even if he doesn’t, just the experience of being part of the national team pool is already something the third-year guard will forever cherish.
“I’m looking forward to practicing with the best players in the country and learning from everybody there,” said the son of Meralco coach Norman Black, a many-time member of the Philippine men’s basketball team coaching staff in the past.
“It’s really going to be an opportunity because I would be able to grow there as a player and bring back whatever I learned there here sa Meralco.”
The young Black said he’s already been informed about his inclusion in the pool a few days back, but felt really honored when he finally read and saw his name in the list submitted by the SBP.
The Meralco lefty is certainly aware of the task ahead of Gilas in Cambodia as it seeks to regain the basketball gold it surrendered in Vietnam when Indonesia defeated the Philippines in the final, 85-81.

The loss put an end to the country’s 52-game winning streak in the biennial meet and marked only the second time it failed to bring home the cage title since losing to Malaysia in 1989.
Incidentally, Aaron was only 14 years old when his father steered the national team to the basketball gold of the 2011 SEA Games in Palembang.
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