Now, Michael Phillips looks to Christian Standhardinger as his mentor. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Ariya Kurniawan | Instagram @ariyakurniawan16
Michael Phillips has a long list of things that former great Gilas Christian Standhardinger taught him during the recent Southeast Asian Games, but the La Salle standout says it’s the lessons beyond the game that really matter. stay with him.
“I thought, OK, we can learn a lot about the game, about these veterans and how to be a basketball player. But Christian, he went out of his way to really teach me everything besides basketball,” Phillips told the Inquirer after one of the Green Archers’ games at the FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
“The mentality you should have, about how to shoulder yourself and all the other variables that I don’t really think about, like your food, your body and your family. Think only long term. And I think that’s really his impact on me,” he continued.
Fresh from her maiden years with Gilas, Phillips, along with Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, have been mentioned by Standhardinger as the next coat of care for the Nationals.
The Filipino-American giant was a key factor in Gilas’s defeats in Malaysia and Singapore. More importantly, he hardly looked like a youngster in his first encounter with Cambodia was heavily enhanced, a performance that really pleased Standhardinger, who recently quit his job at Gilas to make things up. event for young players to shine while at the same time taking the burden off his aging knees.
‘Why are you playing’
“He really gave me a lot of exercises to strengthen some muscles. He said he has [gone] through so many kinds [rehabs] And it worked for him, so he gave me these habits and now, I’m doing them twice a day, man,” Phillips chuckles.
“But really, there are many,” he said of Standhardinger’s suggestions. “Not just by the game but what it really means to play for real. He’s emphasizing why you’re playing, who you’re doing all this for, and for what.
“It’s easy to get caught up in all the games and think, oh okay. But you really have to go deep into your roots, find out what our why is. It’s always bigger than just basketball.”
Now, Phillips hopes to pay tribute to his mentor by working hard, making the most of every opportunity, and then hoping to pay off when his turn comes.
“That was my advisor. I mean, do I really admire him and let him do all that? It really means a lot to me so I really just want to, you know, work hard every day when I get the chance,” he said.
“I say this over and over. On the first day of practice, kulang ‘yung mga upuan was for us. He went all the way to the other side and took these chairs. It was the first day and he invited us to sit down and make us feel welcome, shelter us,” he continued.
“It’s sad that Christian is gone, but I love what he’s done for this culture and this team,” Phillips said. request
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