Spoelstra sees RP return to Olympics

MANILA, Philippines - If the Philippines can keep it together as a solid unit, it will get its chance of making it to the Olympics someday.

Erik Spoelstra, the Miami Heat’s Filipino-American coach who was in the country for a series of cage clinics, said he believes the Filipinos can make it big again in the international scene.

“There’s a chance for the Philippines, it’s a matter of coming together at the right time and at the right place,” said Spoelstra in yesterday’s two-hour clinic for UAAP players at the La Salle Greenhills gym in San Juan City.

The 39-year-old Spoelstra, whose mother Elisa Celino hails from Laguna, said the Filipinos’ passion for the sport should push them through.

“Anything can happen,” said Spoelstra. “Basketball, being more global now, and players and teams are getting better from every region in the world.

“So, with a country like the Philippines where the basketball is its national pastime, why not? Why not shock the world at some point?” he said.

Spoelstra is accompanied by former US WNBA all-star Sue Wicks, currently the assistant coach of the St. Francis College Terriers and Miami Heat assistant David Fizdale.

The US Department of State brought the group as part of its sports envoy program as well as the Sports United International Programming Initiative.

Martha Buckley, the US Embassy Cultural Affairs officer, said the program is being done to work on the grassroots level as well as to aid non-elite athletes aged seven to 17 years old with hopes of making people aware that success in sports can be translated to development of life skills and achievement in academics.

A total of 180 players from the men’s, women and high school teams of National University, State U, Far Eastern U and LSGH took part in the clinics.

With regard to the Heat campaign in the coming NBA season, Spoelstra said they’re looking forward to a better season this year after stating they’re out to regain Lamar Odom from the Los Angeles Lakers to get Dwyane Wade some support.

“It’s an important year for us. We only won 15 games last year. But, we’re focused on the basics of basketball and try to accomplish more as a group, than we can individually,” Spoelstra said.