PBA stars turn rooters for RP cagers

HO CHI MINH (Via Globe Telecom)  — PBA players Romel Adducul and Enrico Villanueva could only wish they can wear the country’s colors and help the Philippine team cause here.

But since they can’t do so, they’re doing the next best thing to be of help, cheering animatedly for the Philippine men’s team in the SEA Games basketball competition at the Military Zone 7 Gymnasium.

Adducul, a three-time SEAG veteran, and Villanueva, a former national youth, arrived here via the same flight Tuesday in time for the RP-Vietnam tiff. Both are booked to go home Saturday but Adducul intends to have his ticket re-booked so he can watch the Philippines’ last game Saturday night.

"Gusto kong mapanood ang laro ng Philippine team dahil gusto kong ma-feel uli yung mga naramdaman ko noong nasa national team ako," said Adducul, one of the main men in the RP teams that reigned supreme in Jakarta in 1997, Brunei in 1999 and Kuala Lumpur in 2001.

"Kung pwede nga lang maglaro pa, I’m very much willing to play for the national team," added the 6-foot-5 Cagayanon who is now a mainstay of Barangay Ginebra in the pro league back home.

Villanueva flew here with some parents and supporters of the Ateneo team to give morale support to the Nationals, most specially Ateneo players Rich Alvarez and Wesley Gonzales.

"Ang sarap ng feeling noong nandoon ka cheering for the team. Bumalik sa akin iyung excitement and pride when I was with the national team in 1998," said the former Ateneo King Eagle and now Red Bull Barako player who had a stint in the ABC youth championship in Calcutta, India five years ago.

"I’m happy for my friends (Alvarez and Gonzales) they’re playing here. I didn’t experience playing in the men’s national team," added Villanueva whose closest brush with a stint with the Nationals was in 1998 when he was among a few amateur players invited by coach Ron Jacobs to join the tryout for the Busan Games-bound team.

Adducul is also staying at the Thien Than Hotel where the Nationals are billeted. Villanueva is with Ateneo benefactor Arben Santos and the parents of Alvarez andGonzales at the New World Hotel.