Philippine Patriots hungry and eager

Gabe Freeman said Tuesday playing in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) is more physical than in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), but the level of competition is still a notch lower than the more established pro league.

"ABL is more physical than the PBA. But the difference of both leagues is that a lot of young and eager guys who want to accomplish a lot of things. In the PBA, they are already set, they are already accomplished," Freeman said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum.

Freeman, the 6-foot-6 import of the Philippine Patriots, led the San Miguel Beermen to last year's PBA crown.

He believes that a lot of his teammates are hungry and eager to play in order to get a shot of making it to the PBA ranks.

Among them players are ex-UAAP cagers Nonoy Baclao, Elmer Espiritu, Val Acuña, and Khasim Mirza and PBL veterans Jerwin Gaco, JP Alcaraz, and Erwin Sta Maria.

"I think these guys here are hungrier because they haven't made there yet, that's their goal," he said.

"My thing is, I don't want to lose a game so they can take that whatever they want to take it but we don't want to lose a game," said Freeman. "We’re not here to lose so my prediction is we want to sweep them. That's any athlete or any team wants to do."

Source: Jonas Terrado  | Manila Bulletin