Soldiers of the Ball: Gilas Youth Under-19 Squad

It was a boot camp unlike any other.

While the Gilas Youth have been training to physically and mentally prepare for the FIBA Under 19 World Cup in Greece, they got a crash course in courage and national pride from soldiers who risked their lives in the recent Marawi siege.

"I knew a high school teacher whose brother is a general who referred us to the Scout Ranger," Gilas Youth head coach Sandy Arespacochaga revealed during the send-off press conference last June 17 at the Meralco main building in Pasig City.

"Di ba ang sinisigaw namin 'Laban Pilipinas' tapos ang battle cry namin 'Puso'. So what better example to embody that battle cry than our soldiers."

The battle fields may be different but the strategies are similar. As bombs are used to diffuse threats, our young soldiers must deliver bombs from long range to zero in on a victory. If outflanking is a key in war, the boys must make their opponents uncomfortable with their spacing. Finally, cliche as it seems, it takes the entire platoon to win.

But while there is much optimism in the tallest squad we've had in years, the visiting soldiers brought them back to reality. "Their leader, Colonel Jomalesa, gave a talk and showed battle footages of the war in Marawi. It's very good for the boys to see real people who embody the fight that we want to exhibit," Arespacochaga added.

That jolt of inspiration is just what this band of brothers need for the upcoming challenge. It will not be easy but they have everything they need to survive the battle and the journey prior to it.

From base to war zone

The Gilas Youth will not head straight to Greece. Rather, they will leave the Philippines on June 21 and set up camp in Doha. The quick detour in Qatar will be the first time in a while that all 14 players of the squad will be complete because Dalph Panopio is based overseas.

Thus, they will play exhibition games with two club teams on the 23rd and the 25th respectively. "We will use this time to work on our defensive schemes and rotations," Arespacochaga expressed.

But beyond the tune-ups and the trainings, the players will be treated to a heroes welcome by the Filipino community. They will visit a school and the Philippine embassy before leaving for Greece.

Then, the Gilas Youth will be engaged in the trenches. They will face the Greeks, the Argentinians on the 29th, and the Russians on July 2. Their counterparts in the knock-out phase will depend on their ranking after these encounters.

Height is an obvious disadvantage, especially in the wing positions. But this collection of basketball talent, led by troop leader Kai Sotto, are battle-hardened combatants. "Kaming mga nag-World Cup na, shina-share namin yun knowledge namin sa mga bago namin teammates. Pero we'll take it one game at a time kasi nga magiging challenging itong games namin sa World Cup," he mentioned.

A hero's welcome is due

The odds they face are daunting but they will bring their character and fighting spirit in every game. But at the end of the day, they are still boys with man-like bodies. They kid around each other and share stories while sitting at the staircase outside the Meralco building. They share stories on games and music with one another. They are still teens by heart.

A challenge beyond their age is bestowed upon the Gilas Youth players. But win or lose, let's not forget to celebrate their sucess. It's not easy to get one of the four Asian spots considering that FIBA considers Australia and New Zealand as part of the continent.

The Gilas Youth will incurs scars and wounds in this fight. But our cheers will inspire them to be the soldiers that they are. After earning their stripes at the end of this weary journey, they deserve a warm homecoming from the basketball-crazed nation they fought for.