According to Gilas’ power forward Pingris, prayers guided and brought out the true warriors in them so they could win and bring glory to the country.
“When my ankle was sprained during the first half, I prayed and asked the Lord to let us win the game because I really wanted to win. I also asked Him to help me not feel the pain,” said Pingris, who suffered from an injury during the semi-finals game against South Korea.
Pingris was not disheartened even though he was spotted grabbing his thigh in pain several times during the second half. He also said that the crowd, especially his family, encouraged him to fight until the end.
“I became stronger whenever I heard them cheering for me. My little son was yelling “Shoot the ball daddy.” You could really see his full support even though he’s too young,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gilas’ point guard Tenorio explains why he and his teammates consider their game against South Korea more unforgettable than their match-up with Iran.
“Before, we would often lose to South Korea. That’s why we were so happy and that game was really memorable,” Tenorio said.
Three-pointer Tenorio admits that scoring against Iran’s biggest players during the finals was hard.
“One of my motivations was that we may be shorter, but we must not be belittled,” he said.
Both players admit that they felt extreme pressure during the FIBA Asia Cup that tested their mental toughness as athletes. The team is even more challenged as they are set to compete and represent the country in the long-awaited FIBA World Cup in Spain for the first time.
Aside from their FIBA Asia Cup experience, Pingris and Tenorio also talk about their personal lives.
Don’t miss “Tapatan ni Tunying” (TNT) this Thursday (September 5), 4:15 PM on ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya Gold. For updates, follow @TNTunying or like www.facebook.com/TNTunying.
