MANILA, Philippines – Beau Belga fully enjoyed the San Miguel experience.

The burly forward admitted that life has been made easier for him after he played alongside 4 Beermen stars at one point during Gilas Pilipinas’ 92-98 tuneup game loss to Jordan on Monday, November 19. 

Midway through the duel, Belga was fielded in with San Miguel’s Christian Standhardinger, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot and Marcio Lassiter. 

“Gusto ko nga lumipat sa San Miguel eh, ang sarap pala,” the 31-year-old joked to reporters after the game. 

(I want to join San Miguel, it felt good playing with them,) 

“Hindi ano, ‘yun nga, masarap kasama ‘yung mga taong familiar na sa isa’t isa. Kasabay ko ‘yung apat, parang ang dali ng buhay sakin. Parang ikaw mag-a-adjust sa kanila.” 

(But seriously, it’s easy to play with people who are familiar with each other. When i was playing with the 4, it seemed like life was made easier for me. You’re the one who needs to adjust to them.) 

Kidding aside, Belga stressed that the 20 Team Pilipinas members still have room of improvement in terms of their familiarity with each other. 

Only 12 players saw action against Jordan as Magnolia’s Paul Lee and Ian Sangalang, Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter, LA Tenorio, Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, Kai Sotto and Stanley Pringle skipped the game. 

The Magnolia and Ginebra stars are just coming off their semifinals clash in the PBA last week while the 16-year-old Sotto decided to focus on his exams. Pringle, on the other hand, just returned from the US. 

“We’ve been practicing for 4 times pa lang. We will most likely jell lalo na pagdating ng mga taga Ginebra [at Magnolia]. Tingin ko itong week na to mag-jell na ‘yung team,” added Belga. 

(We’ve just been practicing for 4 times. We will most likely jell once the Ginebra and Magnolia players return. I think that the team will jell this week.) 

Gilas can get back at Jordan when they meet again on Wednesday, November 21. – Rappler.com