REDEMPTION. The Philippines reclaims the gold medal after defeating host Cambodia, 80-69, in the men’s basketball finals of the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Morodok Techo Stadium Elephant Hall 2 in Phnom Penh on Tuesday (May 16, 2023). In the 2022 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Philippines’ 13 consecutive golden finishes ended after bowing to Indonesia. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Wednesday commended the entire Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team for recapturing the gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, saying their win serves as an inspiration for the youth to persevere in the face of overwhelming odds.
“It is truly inspiring to see the SEA Games basketball crown return to the Philippines. I commend and congratulate not only the players of Gilas Pilipinas but also the whole coaching staff and everyone who contributed to this exhilarating victory,” he said in a statement.
“You have once again made your country proud! May you all continue to be an inspiration and a source of great encouragement to the Filipino people, especially our youth, in persevering even if the odds are stacked against them,” Romualdez said.
Gilas Pilipinas reclaimed the basketball crown at the SEA Games held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia against an evidently strong home team with a score of 80-69. The Philippines lost the crown to Indonesia in 2022.
“But the perseverance of the Gilas Pilipinas team earned us back the championship trophy, even after suffering a loss to Cambodia in the early stages of the SEA Games. It is the hallmark of the Filipino fighting spirit and resilience that we can all learn from,” Romualdez said.
“Again, my congratulations to Gilas Pilipinas. May this be the start of yet another streak that will last for decades to come," he said. (PNA)
