Gilas lesson makes David tougher than ever

MANILA, Philippines –Gary David took to heart the lesson he learned from his memorable Gilas Pilipinas stint.

“Natutunan ko sa Gilas ‘yung hindi mo kailangan umiskor ng malaki. Hindi mo kailangan ng malaking oras para manalo yung team,” David told a handful of reporters who waited for him to emerge from the dugout after GlobalPort’s pulsating 91-88 win over Alaska Friday night. “Basta makapagbigay ka lang ng magandang contribution yun ang importanteng ingredient para manalo yung team.”

And there was no bigger than his endgame contribution.

David was on his way to what appeared to be another frustrating night and a disastrous second straight loss with him back in active duty for his PBA mother club GlobalPort Batang Pier.

Not until he exploded in the endgame.

He was misfiring all game long sinking only three of his first 10 attempts.  

It was like FIBA Asia Championship all over again. But this time, there was no big crowd to egg him to keep on shooting.

(read related story: David finally kills Goliath, breaks out of slump in FIBA Asia)

Struggling to find his rhythm in the game and with no loud crowd chanting his name, the 35-year old gunner dug deep to find his Gilas ‘fighting heart’.

In a heartbeat, he did not hesitate to take the blame-me-or-thank-me shot as the clock ticked down to its last 9.3 seconds.

“El Granada” exploded right in the face of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup champions.

“It was a tribute to Gary (David). In this game, he showed his big heart,” GlobalPort coach Junel Baculi said afterwards.

David sank the game winner, a triple off a kickout pass from a driving Sol Mercado to lift GlobalPort to its second win in three starts and its first franchise victory over Alaska.

After playing sparingly in a 20-point blowout loss to defending Governors’ Cup champion Rain or Shine the last time out, David was thrust back to his usual starter’s minutes and old go-to-guy role.

“Mahirap [ang transition from Gilas] lalo na pagbalik ko madaming bago,” David said. “Pero okay naman ‘yung mga huling araw ng practice namin."

David was away for almost three months and when he came back, half of the team that won just four games in the last two conferences were gone.

“Ibinabalik lang ako ni coach Junel sa rhythm ko. Inasahan ko talaga na makukuha ko ang rhythm ko sa mga teammates ko at yung tiwala nila sa akin hanggang dulo, yun lang talaga ang hinihintay ko at dumating naman,” David said.

With the game hanging in the balance, Baculi designed a play for Mercado to go for the make-or-break shot in the endgame. Emerging from that huddle, David, despite missing his last couple of shots prior to that, told Mercado to give him the final shot if given the chance.

“Sinabi ko kay Sol mag-drive siya at kapag humelp ang defense, saka niya ipasa niya sa akin ang bola,” David revealed. “At naging maganda naman ang response sa akin ni Sol.”

True enough, Alaska’s defense collapsed on Mercado as he drove the basket opening up David to take the game-winning shot.

“Iniisip ko lang naman na mabigyan lang ako uli ng pagkakataon,” David said. “Sisiguraduhin ko na ‘di ako sasablay.”

And he lived up to his promise.

His life changing stint in Gilas Pilipinas has helped him to be tougher in the face of mounting trials. It’s the kind of fighting heart that the Batang Pier sorely lacked in the first two conferences.