ISAAC Go had two reasons to celebrate on Wednesday as he played his first game in almost a year – a day after Gilas Pilipinas reclaimed the Southeast Asian Games gold medal in this year’s edition in Cambodia.
Isaac Go on Gilas 'Redeem Team'
A member of last year’s men’s basketball team that lost the gold to Indonesia in Vietnam, the Terrafirma big man is glad to see the Gilas “Redeem Team” complete its mission at the expense of a host Cambodia team filled with American naturalized players in the finale.
“That’s a character win,” Go said after suiting up for the Dyip in their 112-108 win against NorthPort in a tune-up at WinterPine Center after recovering from a torn ACL he sustained last June.
“Because when you lose to Cambodia the first time, and they bounce back, beat Indonesia convincingly, and they played Indonesia late last night and they went up paying Cambodia the next day, so it shows the character. It shows that they really wanted to win. It shows the puso talaga.”
“You know Cambodia pulled all the stops that if there was one year to win the gold medal, it was this year because they were the host,” he continued. “It shows the character talaga. And I think it showed na, yes, there will be bumps on the road in the process, but every time we get knocked down, we’ll always get back up.”
And the gold reclamation project somehow eased the pain Go and the rest of Gilas felt last year when Indonesia put an end to the Philippines’ 33-year reign as the king of basketball in the region.
“I think so. It’s a redemption,” Go said of the Chot Reyes-coached team. “But it goes to show that these teams are catching up. These teams are now going to do anything, because you saw Indonesia last year with the gold medal; now, they’re walking home, they didn’t even place. So everyone’s getting competitive.”

“Everyone’s playing their A-game, and everyone’s improving. You never know who’s going to be ready. You never know what these teams are going to do,” he added.
Go even cited the talk about Vietnam parading Vietnamese-blooded NBA players Jaylin Williams of Oklahoma City and Utah’s Johnny Juzang, a rumor that didn’t come to reality.
“We have to step up. Yes, it’s also finding players, but at the same time, it’s developing our players here in the country,” Go said.
Asked if Gilas should continue fielding a team composed mostly of pros or bring back an all-amateur team again, Go said it depends on who the coach will be.
“In those times, you had coach Norman (Black), a college coach, and then college guys yung isama. So it doesn’t seem fair na for example, si coach Chot, who’s a pro coach, to have college kids come in na hindi niya team,” Go said.
“At the same time, if a college coach comes in, and hindi niya players yung mga pros, there’s always going to be that disconnect,” he added. So I think it has to start with the coach before you decide whether the conversation is: do we want pro players or college players?”
Go gave an example of University of the Philippines coach Goldwin Monteverde handling the SEA Games team and fielding a team with a core of Fighting Maroons.
“It makes sense because there’s continuity, and maybe you can have supplementary players, so if you want a college team, yan yung ideal,” Go said. “And if you have pros, you have the mostly pro guys, and you have the college guys to complement. As a coach, you want to also choose players who fit your system, who you believe is going to be out there.”
Go believes the current Gilas of PBA stars showed chemistry with the college standouts Michael Phillips and Jerom Lastimosa – probably better cohesion than what last year’s team displayed.
“I think on paper, there’s always that conversation na syempre naman,” Go said of the current team being better. “But syempre we had June Mar (Fajardo), we had Kiefer (Ravena). We had Thirdy. Maybe the chemistry now with the Ginebra boys and you have more pros who came in.”
“But each team will have their own identity. And syempre this conversation is all about results eh, because they won. We’re going to say this team was stronger because it won.”
But Go insists it’s unfair to compare the “Redeem Team” to last year’s Gilas team that fell short, citing the current format of having a group stage, advancing to a crossover semifinal, before a knockout finale – unlike last year’s single-round robin format.
“Because it’s always a different circumstance,” Go said. “And you have to consider the format also. If they played the format this year, their fate is in Cambodia’s hands, rather than our year where you had to play everybody until the very end. Parang lamang eh, kasi it gave the Philippines a chance to get back at Cambodia.”
“Hindi parang kami na when you lost to Indonesia, yun na yun eh,” he added. “So I think it’s unfair to compare, but really great effort. You have to give it to this team, because syempre with schedule issues, guys coming in late, injuries, but they came in, sacrificed, did the mission at hand, and got the win.”
Asked if he’s ready to make his own Gilas pool comeback, the 6-foot-7 stretch big man is prioritizing getting back to game shape first.
“I hope so, but I think one day I want to,” Go said. “But right now, I still got ways to go to do that, both conditioning, playing, everything, kulang pa eh, so one day. But I think right now, I’m focused more on getting healthy. But if I get the call, hindi ko tatanggihan. You will never turn down that call.”
Go, who’s turning 26 on June 7, is just glad to get back on the court after being away for 11 months.
“It feels good,” he said. “Siguro during the game, parang kinakabahan na eh, kasi ito na talaga yung first real game naglaro ako. Kahit practice, parang nag-five-on-five lang kami kahapon, so nangangapa pa, but excited to be back. Just happy to get my feet wet.”
“I think there’s a hundred percent in the knee that the knee’s not going to give out, but in terms of one hundred percent game feel, hindi pa eh. That’s something that only comes with time. You need game reps talaga. Inconsistent pa,” he added.
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