PHNOM PENH — 6-foot-5 Filipina basketball ace Jack Animam expressed her ideas in regards to the Southeast Asian Games’ guidelines on naturalized gamers after the 3×3 males’s and ladies’s basketball occasions.
Host Cambodia fielded a number of naturalized gamers in each occasions, with their males’s group that included three naturalized gamers coming away with the gold medal after defeating Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 within the finals.
Animam and her Gilas Women group, in the meantime, triumphed over the hosts’ girls’s squad within the semifinals earlier than claiming the silver medal. The Cambodia facet they confronted had 4 naturalized gamers, composed of Meighan Simmons, a former twenty sixth total decide within the WNBA, Brittany Dinkins, Mariah Cooks, and Kim Hanlon. They completed fourth within the event.
Animam feels that fielding groups of largely naturalized gamers defeats the aim of the biennial meet, which she stated must be about displaying what the collaborating nations have to supply.
“Well syempre it’s unfair, especially sa countries na wala naman ganon kalaking fund(ing). But I think if there’s going to be a lot of imports – like this – I don’t think the essence of the SEA Games is gonna be there,” Animam stated after their gold medal sport loss to Vietnam on Sunday.
(“Well of course it’s unfair, especially to countries that don’t have that much funding. But I think if there’s going to be a lot of imports – like this – I don’t think the essence of the SEA Games is gonna be there.”)
“Parang, para saan pa? Why are we doing this SEA Games if we’re not fielding our homegrown talents? That’s… for me, SEA Games is to show your talents, kung ano meron kayo sa bansa. But if you’re getting from other countries, I think parang pro league na ‘to.”
(“What is it for? Why are we doing this SEA Games if we’re not fielding our homegrown talents? That’s… for me, SEA Games is to show your talents, what you have in your country. But if you’re getting from other countries, I think it becomes like a pro league.”)
Animam is not any stranger to Simmons. According to the previous National University star, she met the 31-year-old guard when she was enjoying for Toulouse Metropole Basket in Europe.
She stated they’d talked about Simmons probably enjoying in Asia, although Animam admitted she was stunned to search out out right here that it meant taking up nationwide group colours for Cambodia within the SEA Games.
“Actually hindi, I was shocked at the dining hall when I was walking around, and I was like—is she who I think she is? And then I walked up to her and she said, yes I’m playing for Cambodia,” Animam recalled.
(“Actually, no. I was shocked at the dining hall when I was walking around, and I was like – is she who I think she is? And then I walked up to her and she said, yes I’m playing for Cambodia.”)
“But I remember, after a game in Toulouse, we had like a drink or two so we were talking and talking sabi nga nya sa play downs niya sa LF1, wala na siya, cause she’s going to Asia. I think I heard Cambodia, but I never thought SEA Games, so I was really shocked she’s here.”
(“But I remember, after a game in Toulouse, we had like a drink or two so we were talking and talking and she mentioned she wouldn’t be there for the play downs in LF1 because she’s going to Asia. I think I heard Cambodia, but I never thought SEA Games, so I was really shocked she’s here.”)
And although the FIlipinas fell wanting gold, Animam stated they got here ready for the SEA Games no matter their opponents.
“We prepared for this and this is what we do. [Kung] sino ‘yung kalaban, we’re ready to play.”
(“We prepared for this and this is what we do. Whoever the opponent, we’re ready to play.”)
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
