KEVIN Ferrer is proud to see the Philippines reclaim the men’s basketball gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games.
The three-time SEA Games gold medalist is prouder to see Gilas Pilipinas complete the job against a host Cambodia team filled with six American naturalized players.
Kevin Ferrer on SEA Games landscape
Ferrer compared the SEA Games landscape from the time he represented the country in Myanmar in 2013, Singapore in 2015, and in Malaysia in 2017 – to the current setup that saw Cambodia field six naturalized players to stun Gilas in the group stage.
“Nung sa amin kasi, parang locals talaga eh,” Ferrer said. “Ito, puro naturalized, tsaka nakita mo naman kung paano binago ng Cambodia yung rules na pwedeng sabay-sabay maglaro ang naturalized. Sa amin kasi, isa lang, all locals talaga.”
“SEA Games kasi eh. Ayan na nga lang yung parang liga ng Southeast Asia tapos hahaluan mo pa ng naturalized,” he added. “May advantage and disadvantaged.”
The Philippines paraded a naturalized player in Marcus Douthit to complement its SEA Games teams led by college stars and in the 2013 and 2015 editions, before proving it can still win without a naturalized player in 2017.
Ferrer, a veteran in the regional level, being also part of the teams that won the gold in the 2015 SEABA Championship and the 2016 SEABA Cup, hopes to see SEA Games organizers at least limit the number of naturalized players allowed to play in the future.
“Isa, dalawa, pwede na yun. Tapos ngayon, sabay-sabay pa maglaro, ‘di ba?” the Terrafirma forward said.
Gilas only needed one in Justin Brownlee, Ferrer’s former Barangay Ginebra teammate.
“Sobrang nakaka-proud dahil konting preparation lang nila tapos ganun kalaban nila,” Ferrer said.
“Nakaka-miss na nga maglaro sa bansa eh,” he was quick to add. Alam ko yung mga feeling na ganun, feeling na nakakuha ng gold, pressure talaga. Pero thanks to Justin talaga. And sa mga players din na nakipaglaban sa bansa natin.”
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