Ganuelas playing for Pinoy pride

TOKYO – For Smart Gilas rookie Matt Ganuelas, nothing beats playing for the Philippines and joining the national squad in time for the Jones Cup triumph last month was an experience he’ll forever cherish. The 6-5 point forward is chasing another milestone in his second Gilas tour of duty at the FIBA Asia Cup here.

Ganuelas, 22, was born in Olongapo to US Navyman James Rosser and Filipina Gina Ganuelas. Shortly after Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, he and his mother went to Philadelphia to live with his father’s parents for six months. They returned to Olongapo then relocated to San Diego where Ganuelas lived until the eighth grade. Eventually, the family settled in Temecula, California.

The oldest of three boys, Ganuelas began playing basketball when he was six. “My dad was my first coach,” he said. “I never played any other sport. I practiced shooting on a concrete floor in our backyard and my dad was hard on me since I was little. Now, I realize why he was such a disciplinarian. He made me a better player. My dad is 6-5 but got his growth spurt late so he never played ball as a boy. He did track in high school. My mom has four younger brothers and is the oldest so she was into playing sports with the boys. I guess I got my athleticism from both my parents.”

Ganuelas’ two younger brothers are aspiring basketball players. Brandon, 18, has a year left in high school and is being recruited by NCAA Division I schools. He’s a 6-7 forward and he’ll likely enrol at Washington State. Jason, 14, is just starting high school. “Brandon’s better than I was in high school but I don’t think he can beat me one-on-one,” said Ganuelas.

When he was 10, Ganuelas was back in Olongapo for a visit. “I don’t really remember much of the Philippines except for jeepneys driving around, the warm weather and my mother’s relatives in San Fernando, La Union,” he said. “I grew up in a Filipino environment, eating rice and adobo and learning about Filipino superstitions from my mom. I’ve always played in Fil-Am leagues in Southern California and after I graduated from Cal Poly at Pomona, I knew I wasn’t done playing. I was recruited by a Filipino agent Leo Baylon who referred me to Charlie Dy who’s now my Filipino agent.”

Ganuelas said he was invited to try out in the NBA D-League by the Los Angeles Defenders and Bakersfield Jam. “I wanted to give the Philippines a real shot,” he said. “I thought it was the best opportunity for me since I’ve got tons of relatives in the Philippines. I’ll be playing two years with Gilas and N-Lex in the PBA D-League then I’ll join the PBA draft. I arrived in Manila two months ago and I stay in Eastwood. My wife Brittany is coming to join me in a few weeks and I’m really excited to see her. We’ve known each other since high school. My mom and dad are thinking of coming over to visit next year.”

Ganuelas said at Pomona, he played point guard. With Gilas, he’s an all-purpose player like a Gabe Norwood or Jared Dillinger. “I’ve still got a lot of improving to do,” he said. “I’m learning a lot from coach Chot (Reyes). He’s teaching us not just about basketball but about life, why I’m playing, whom I’m playing for, the pride of playing for your country. I need to be a more consistent shooter and a stronger rebounder. My strength is my court vision. I’m lucky that Gabe and J. D. have taken me under their wing since we play the same position. My goal is to become a well-rounded player.”

At the FIBA Asia Cup, Ganuelas nearly registered a triple double with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists in Gilas’ 98-46 romp over Macau. “It’s part of my game, to get everybody involved,” he said. “(Assistant coach) Josh (Reyes) wants me to focus on improving my rebounding. All I want is to be able to help the team, to get better. I’m adjusting to the international game which is different from how it’s played in the US and I know I’ve got a long way to go. It’s a process. At least against Macau, I showed what I can do with the opportunity to play.”

Ganuelas said he has no regrets in deciding to move to Manila. “I’m reconnecting with my Filipino relatives through facebook but eventually, we’ll all get together,” he said. “I still can’t believe that in my first competition with Gilas, we won the championship. It really felt good contributing to something that made our country proud. When you’re playing for your country, it means a lot more than winning a championship for your school. This is about national pride.”

Ganuelas’ birth certificate uses his mother’s surname because his parents weren’t married when he was born.