Meralco Bolts’ Chris Newsome throughout Recreation 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
Final week noticed Chris Newsome weave himself into PBA lore with a shot that ended Meralco’s lengthy anticipate a championship.
However subsequent week will see Newsome take a look at himself as soon as extra towards among the greatest worldwide basketball has to supply, with a much bigger position anticipated of him for Gilas Pilipinas within the OIympic Qualifying Event (OQT).
“I’m a pure competitor, and I wish to see what I’m able to,” stated Newsome, who’s seen as a key cog in Gilas’ daunting activity dealing with host Latvia and Georgia in Riga for the ultimate part of qualification for the Paris Video games.
Odds are stacked towards Gilas, with Latvia and Georgia seen as the 2 sides progressing previous Group A of the OQT part which begins July 2.
However Newsome will head to the OQT with confidence at a excessive stage following a efficiency that keyed Meralco’s overcome San Miguel and finish the franchise’s 14-year anticipate a PBA crown.
Essential presence
His heroic position, ending with a baseline jumper in Recreation 6 that sealed the championship, capped off a season through which Newsome has been taking part in at a stage by no means earlier than seen since he entered the league in 2015.
A lot of the credit score is on his necessary presence in Gilas’ victory within the Hangzhou Asian Video games, a outcome that ended the Philippines’ 61-year gold medal drought.
“It positively helped me going up towards [some of] the most effective on this planet,” he stated. “It helped me perceive the place I’m as a participant and what expertise that I’ve to work on.”
Successful a PBA title and his newfound standing as one of many nation’s greatest gamers, nonetheless, can’t fulfill Newsome, who’ll now attempt to not solely put Gilas ready to provide each European nations a run for his or her cash, but additionally maintain his personal towards the gamers he’ll go up towards.
“Generally, I fail. However I’m okay with failing, as a result of I do know I did my greatest,” he stated. “Even with this [PBA] championship, I’ve a lot to enhance on.”
Gilas is wrapping its quick camp at Encourage Sports activities Academy in Calamba, Laguna, and is scheduled to tackle the Taiwan Mustangs of The Asian Event on Monday at Philsports Area in Pasig Metropolis.
Then it’s off to Europe for Gilas for tune-up matches with Turkey and Poland within the leadup to the OQT.
