Sedrick Barefield eager for chance to join Gilas at Asian Games

FILE– Gilas Pilipinas prospect Sedrick Barefield during a PBA game with Blackwater Bossing. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Blackwater’s Sedrick Barefield is honored to be considered part of Team Philippines for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with his name listed in Gilas Pilipinas’ initial pool of players.

Barefield, along with Meralco’s Brandon Bates, was among those named to the 30-man pool for the quadrennial meet, where Gilas will defend the gold medal it won three years ago.

Barefield said he only knew of his inclusion when Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy mentioned their names during her appearance at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

“I’m hoping that it’s a possibility,” Barefield said after Blackwater’s 102-93 loss to Phoenix in the PBA Governors’ Cup at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

While Barefield is ineligible to represent the Philippines as a local in Fiba competitions, there’s a chance of him playing in the Asian Games with organizers only requiring a Philippine passport to be eligible.

The prospect of becoming a Gilas player, at least for the Asiad, is something Barefield hopes would come to fruition.

“It’ll be a dream come true, just to go out there and compete with those guys representing the country,” said Barefield. “It would mean the world, it would mean everything. That’s high-level basketball that you always want to be a part of, that you dream of being a part of.”