Chris Newsome of the Meralco Bolts during Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Last week, Chris Newsome etched his name in PBA legend by making the shot that ended Meralco’s long wait for a championship.
But next week, Newsome will once again test himself against some of the best in international basketball as he is expected to play a bigger role representing Gilas Philippines in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).
“I’m a natural competitor and I want to test myself,” said Newsom, who is expected to play a key role in Gilas’ arduous task of facing hosts Latvia and Georgia in Riga in the final qualifying round for the Paris Olympics.
In an unfavorable situation for Gilas, two teams, Latvia and Georgia, are expected to advance from Group A in the OQT phase, which begins on July 2nd.
But Newsome will enter the OQT with a high level of confidence following his key performance in Meralco’s win over San Miguel and putting an end to the franchise’s 14-year wait for a PBA championship.
Important presence
Newsome’s heroics in Game 6, including a baseline jump shot that sealed the win, capped a season in which he played at a level never seen since entering the league in 2015.
He was a key presence in Gilas’ victory at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which ended the Philippines’ 61-year gold medal drought.
“That is definitely true. [some of] “The best player in the world,” he said. “It helped me understand where I am as a player and what skills I need to develop.”
But winning a PBA title and his newfound status as one of the best players in the country isn’t enough for Newsom, who now wants to ensure Gilas is not only in a position to compete with the Europeans, but also to hold its own against the players they face.
“Sometimes I fail, but it’s okay because I know I did my best,” he says. [PBA] There is still a lot to improve on in the Championship.”
The Gilas are wrapping up a short camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna and are scheduled to face the Taiwan Mustangs in the Asian Games on Monday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
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Gilas will then head to Europe to play warm-up matches against Turkey and Poland in preparation for the OQT.
