Having a comprehensive basketball program that enables players to smoothly transition from the youth to the senior level has always been the dream for Gilas Pilipinas.
The ideal scenario is to have a structured long-term program that will train and develop players from all age groups, with the goal of forming the best national team that can compete on the world stage.
After Batang Gilas finished fourth in the FIBA U16 Asian Championship and booked a slot to the FIBA U17 World Cup in Argentina, it seems that the dream is slowly coming into fruition.
"Gone are the days where we had a different system for Batang Gilas, a different system for cadets and the elite team. We want to streamline everything, including the teaching, the coaching, so that it would benefit everyone involved in the program," said Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes.
The 54-year-old mentor added that coming up with a more efficient program will help encourage more athletes to fight for the flag and country. He believes that after making breakthroughs in 2014 and 2015 -- when Batang Gilas first made it to the World Cup and Perlas Pilipinas got promoted to Group A of FIBA Asia -- players are now more inclined to join the national team.
"The first time I coached the national team was in 2007, that was when players were looking for every excuse not be involved in the program," recalled Reyes. "Now the glass ceiling was broken, and now we can see that we can do it."
"Now we see these kids, these are the perfect example of players who want to don the Gilas jersey," he continued, referring to the Batang Gilas roster. "The culture has been inculcated, now we have to put the system to propagate that culture."
Batang Gilas head coach Mike Oliver acknowledged the importance of having continuity in the country's basketball program. He is happy that the youth team is currently getting the attention and recognition that they deserve.
"Coach Chot knows that it starts from the grassroots so that when they join Gilas, they won't have a hard time. We try to implement the same system in Batang Gilas," said Oliver.
Despite the challenges that the national team continues to face, Reyes remains hopeful that the streamlined program that the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) envisions will soon fall into place. And it all begins with the young talents who are willing to represent the Philippines.
"There are a lot of young players who want to join Gilas, and it's up to us in SBP to put a program together. Everyone knows that if you join Batang Gilas, you have a chance to make it to the elite level," he said. "They're going to get to the cadets and to the elite [team] in six, seven, or eight years from now. We are blessed, fortunate to witness this time when we can say we were there from the start. This is the beginning."
"Gone are the days that we are hit or miss, that we leave it up to God, that we put teams together when the tournament is about to start," Reyes emphasized. "We will put together a program, and hopefully, it works."