MANILA, Philippines – For basketball legend Freddie Webb, Gilas Pilipinas was the closest the country could get to repeating what they did 53 years ago in the Munich Olympics.
Former senator and member of the national team, Webb said the performance of the current national basketball teams heightened the Filipinos’ awareness of the sport.
He made such remarks during his recent appearance as guest of honor of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night.
“This is the most well-organized team we have. It really heightens your interest in basketball,” said the 82-year-old Webb.
“Our opponents are stronger, but what sets us apart is our desire to show the world that basketball is and will always be our No. 1 sport.”
Webb is one of the few surviving members of the national team which made the country’s last stint in the Olympics back in 1972.
From there, Webb played for several teams in the PBA and even had coaching stints as well. He played for Letran during the Knights’ reign in the NCAA back in the 1960s.
Gilas has shown significant progress in recent years.
After a disappointing performance at the 2022 Southeast Asian Games, where the Philippines lost its 14th consecutive gold medal, the program underwent a major overhaul under new head coach Tim Cone. The result was a gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games.