BLACK EXPECTS BOLICK TO BRING LEADERSHIP, SCORING FOR GILAS IN SEA GAMES

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the challenges of coming up with a team, Gilas Pilipinas coach Norman Black is glad he’s got a tested playmaker in NLEX guard Robert Bolick to man the ship when the Philippines defends its Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball title next week in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 31-year-old do-it-all playmaker is part of several PBA players added to reinforce Black’s Gilas version, which encountered eligibility concerns last week.

But with the two-time PBA All Star guard around, the one-time PBA grand slam can somehow relax, knowing he’s got a top-flight playmaker to handle the backcourt chores.

“Bolick brings a lot of talent to begin with,” Black told the Manila Times.

“He scores the basketball and his leadership is unmatched as far as I’m concerned. He also handles the ball real well,” he added.

Bolick averages 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 8.6 assists for NLEX, which is in contention for a top 4 spot for the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup quarterfinal.

He’s got Gilas experience, too, playing under Yeng Guiao in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, and the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers window 1.

While Bolick is a known scorer, with his ability to drive strong to the basket or shoot from long range, Black takes note of the fact that the crack NLEX combo guard plays exceptional defense.

“He’s a defensive player and an exceptional player in the PBA,” he noted. “I’m sure he’ll bring that talent in the national team.

Other than Bolick, Black also sees Titan Ultra veteran Von Pessumal as a key contributor, a solid floor spacer because of his ability to shoot from long range.

While former Ginebra wingman Jamie Malonzo brings with him tons of experience as well, having played for Gilas under Chot Reyes and Tim Cone.

“We’re talking about players who are successful scoring the basketball in their careers and I don’t see any reason why they can’t score,” said Black, back in Gilas helm since he last guided a college-dominated Philippine team to the SEA Games gold in 2011.

“I figure they will play zone and Bolick is a four-point shooter,” he said. “Pessumal is a three-point shooter also. We added some shooting to the team, just in case (opposing) teams decide to play us the zone.” Thirdy Ravena, one of just four holdovers from original Gilas batch he earlier, named to the final lineup, also brings in a lot of athleticism and energy for the squad.

“Ravena is not a knockdown scorer but a combination of both, a shooter and also scorer,” he noted.

Japan B.League import Bobby Ray Parks and Matthew Wright, the two other veterans will bring tons of experience for Gilas, which intends to keep the SEA Games gold.

Parks has won three SEA Games men’s basketball gold in 2011, 2013 and 2017, while Wright, once a consistent member of Gilas under Reyes, won his only gold in the regional tournament under Tim Cone when the biennial games was held in Manila in 2019.

Other members of the Gilas squad include Blackwater rookie guard Dalph Panopio and big man Abu Tratter, Justin Chua, Veejay Pre of University of the, along with collegiate standouts Cedric Manzano and Allen Liwag.

Gilas opens its title defense against Malaysian on Dec. 14.

2025-12-09T06:59:45Z