Gilas Pilipinas player Marc Pingris had always wanted to take his annual vacation in France to meet up with his father, Jean Marc Pingris Sr, whom he had only met back in 2007. But for the past two years, he has been unable to do so ever since he was selected by head coach Chot Reyes to play for the national team.

“Nung tumawag sa akin sila coach Chot, tuwang-tuwa talaga ako. Pero medyo may problema kami doon kasi yung araw na ti-next sa akin na August, ‘yun din yung araw ng pagpunta namin ng France. So masaya pero nag-iisip ako. Kinausap ko muna Daddy ko. Kinukuha ako sa RP team ganito. Ini-explain ko sa kanya. Ang sabi niya sa akin, ‘Huwag mo ako problemahin. Matanda na rin ako. Minsan ka lang mabigyan ng pagkakataon na ganyan. Go ka na.’ Nag-thank you ako sa kanya saka ako sumagot kay coach Chot,” he said in his Kuwentong Gilas feature.

The sacrifice has paid off for Marc when Gilas Pilipinas made history and booked a slot to the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain in last year’s FIBA Asia Championship in Manila. And it got much sweeter as part of the tune-up games would be played in France where his dad lives.

As Gilas Pilipinas arrived at Antibes, France last Thursday afternoon, Marc (together with the Sports5 crew) went to nearby Cannes, France and met up with Jean Marc Pingris Sr and his wife.

“It took eight hours for me to get here,” Pingris Sr., about his long drive from Normandy to Antibes. “Many, many joy ‘coz I am here with you,” as he looked on to Marc.

It was a happy moment indeed for Marc as his dad finally saw him over the past weekend in the four-team pocket tournament against France, Australia and Ukraine at the Azure Arena Antibes.

From Antibes, Marc’s dad will be flying to Seville, Spain and meet up with Marc’s wife Danica and their two kids. Dina Bonnevie, Marc’s mother-in-law, will also be there to watch Gilas Plipinas. All of them will be watching the Philippines make its return to the world basketball stage after a 40-year absence. And they will be cheering wildly for Marc.

“Hindi mo ma-explain kung gaano kasaya yung nararamdaman mo. Hindi mo akalain na ganito kaganda ang nangyayari. Parang isang panaginip lang pero totoo,” Marc said about the remarkable moments happening in his life.

TV5 will be airing the Gilas Pilipinas tune-up games dubbed “Gilas vs The World” – Gilas Pilipinas vs Basque National Team on August 20 (Wednesday) at 8pm; Gilas Pilipinas vs Angola on August 22 (Friday) at 8pm; Gilas Pilipinas vs Dominican Republic on August 25 (Monday) at 8pm and Gilas Pilipinas vs Egypt on August 26 (Tuesday) at 8pm. TV5 will also be airing Gilas Pilipinas games in the FIBA World Cup in Spain LIVE on FREE TV starting August 30.