Gilas Pilipinas had a rough start in their campaign opener in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, but ONE Championship strawweight mainstay Robin "The Ilonggo" Catalan is keeping the faith.
The Philippine Five got manhandled by an in-form Italy squad, 108-62, in the opener of the quadrennial basketball tournament at the Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center in China last Saturday, 31 August.
Catalan was left in awe with how the Azzurri played, but despite the one-sided beatdown, Catalan is not losing hope on the team.
“I watched the entire game and we definitely saw the level of talent Italy has. They were favored and they maximized their advantages,” Catalan said.
“But I’m proud nonetheless. They just kept on playing despite the blowout.”
Catalan admitted that it will not get easier for the Philippines moving forward. They face perennial tournament favorites Serbia on Monday, 2 September, in a virtual do-or-die match.
For Catalan, there is more to this campaign than the wins and losses, and he knows this will only serve as a lesson to the national team moving forward.
“That’s the beauty of sports. Other than the physical aspect of it, it teaches a lot of things – like how to adjust moving forward,” Catalan shared.
“That loss hurts certainly, but I’m confident that they picked up a lot of things, especially heading to a powerhouse like Serbia.”
Catalan certainly knows about bouncing back from ordeals.
Catalan has five losses in his seven-year career as a mixed martial artist, but he always finds ways to keep in step with the level of competition.
He is confident that his beloved Gilas Pilipinas share the same trait.
“That’s the good trait of Filipinos – our eagerness to bounce back from defeat and get that win. We have the quality, that resilience, where we excel with our backs against the wall.”
A basketball fan since his childhood, Catalan shares that he will stick with this team – regardless of the result.
"No matter what happens, win or lose, in a big or small tournament, my countrymen can expect my all-out support,” the younger Catalan shared.
“We just have to keep supporting because their conquests are also our victories.”