TWO years after officially retiring from national team duties, Poy Erram suddenly found himself once again answering the call for flag and country when he suited up for Gilas Pilipinas in the recent 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Apparently, one man was responsible for convincing the 36-year-old big man to come out of retirement and take another shot at wearing the national colors.
“Coach Norman,” he said without batting an eyelash when asked by SPIN.ph about his decision. “Patapos na rin ang career ko, di ba? Hindi ko na iniisip na part ako ng core ng team. Ang iniisip ko na lang kung ano yung puwede kong maitulong sa team, lalo na kay coach Norman.”
READ For a change, Poy Erram hears cheers from Ginebra fans in SEAG
Of course, the 6-foot-8’s history with the 68-year-old Black goes back to his college years when he played for the PBA Hall of Famer at Ateneo, and was part of three of the five UAAP championships the coach won during his stay with the Blue Eagles.
With Erram on a comeback trail at TNT and Black having a hard time putting together a complete team in the wake of the constant changes on eligibility rules by the Thailand SEA Games Organizing Committee, the veteran center didn’t hesitate when the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and Black reached out to him.
“Nung nasabi nga yung pangalan ko, sabi ko willing akong tumulong, lalo na wala siyang (Black) player. So that was the best chance for me na makatulong talaga,” said Erram.
A late replacement for the injured Allen Liwag, Erram brought experience, rebounding, and a defensive mindset to a relatively small frontcourt by Black after the host country declared big men Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Mike Philips, and Justin Brownlee ineligible to play.
Nonetheless, the national team got the job done and completed a sweep of the men’s basketball tournament capped by a hard-earned 70-64 win over host Thailand.
In all, it was the 15th men's basketball gold for the country in the last 16 stagings of the biennial meet and 20th gold overall since 1977 when the Philippines first competed in the SEA Games.
“Kaya after ng game, sobrang thankful ako kay coach Norman na binigyan niya ako ng opportunity at talagang hinabol pa nila ako para makalaro,” recalled Erram of the events leading to his comeback with the national team.
“Thankful ako na nagampanan ko naman kahit maliit lang yung role, nagampanan ko naman ng maayos.”
But he said this latest stint with Gilas was just a one-off. Erram said he doesn’t see himself again returning for another tour of duty after initially retiring in 2023 due to a right knee injury.
He was part of coach Chot Reyes’ 21-man Gilas pool back then for the FIBA World Cup.
“Wala na. Yun na siguro yung last,” said Erram.
With youth and athleticism the prerogative of the Gilas team under coach Tim Cone, the former PBA Defensive Player of the Year said its high time the younger generation of Filipino players serve the country in international meets.
“Given naman ang lakas nung lineup ni coach Tim. Sa mga bata na yun, sa mga up and coming players na yun. Sila na yung future ng Gilas,” he said.
Erram said he’s just thankful for the opportunity to have played for Gilas and win his very first SEA Games gold late in his playing career.
“Thankful lang ako sa opportunity na makapaglaro sa SEA Games. Kami ng wife ko, tagal na naming pinapangarap na maka-SEA Games gold ako kahit gaano kahirap. At binigay ito ni Lord, kaya sobrang thankful ako,” he said.
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