Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — When you look at the individual credential of Gilas training pool members, you would find that Troy Rosario stands as a boy among men.
Rosario holds the distinction of being the only non-professional member of the pool, having only plied his trade in the collegiate and developmental level.
He may have international experience following a stint with Gilas in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, but the FIBA Asia Championship is a whole different story.
The 23-year-old big man is 19 years younger than the eldest member of the pool, Asi Taulava. But Rosario believes that his youth won’t stop him from shining on the big stage.
“Syempre, kahit bata pa ko alam ko kaya ko makipag-compete kahit sa international na,” said the former National University (NU) Bulldog.
With solid collegiate and developmental league stints under his belt, Rosario is one of the top names in the upcoming Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) draft. The big man said that his experience will help ease his transition into the big league.
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It was just a dream… pic.twitter.com/908i9seDIj
— Jeth Troy Rosario (@JtroyRosario) July 22, 2015
“Paakyat pa ako ng PBA,” said Rosario. “Kakailanganin ko itong experience na ito para pagdating ko sa PBA hindi na ako mabigla.”
Even with his eye on the PBA, being part of the national team is still the target for Rosario. With injuries plaguing the Gilas pool, they would need every member of the team to step up and fill the void.
Rosario ended his career with the NU Bulldogs with a bang, clinching the UAAP men’s basketball title over the Far Eastern University Tamaraws. He averaged 11.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists during the title-winning campaign.
In his recent stint at the SEA Games, Rosario played a key role in bringing the gold medal home for the Philippines. He led the team with 16.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 steals in five games played. The young big man also topped the entire tournament in field goal percentage at 62.7 percent.
