Gabe Norwood's Journey in the 2023 Jones Cup: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Although his face still appears very young, this slender man who continues to run on the court with full force is already 38 years old, undoubtedly a player who can be called a "veteran" in basketball Gabe Norwood's Journey in the 2023 Jones Cup: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Although his face still appears very young, this slender man who continues to run on the court with full force is already 38 years old, undoubtedly a player who can be called a "veteran" in basketball. This is Gabe Norwood, a well-known Filipino-American player and former member of the Philippine national team. This year, he was invited to Taiwan again with the Elasto Painters team for the PBA single-team nature of the Jones Cup, which is being held again after a three-year suspension. Taiwan is not a strange term or place for Norwood. He has participated in the Jones Cup three times, but the most recent time was in 2015, 8 years ago. The first time he came to Taiwan and put on the Philippines national team "Gilas" jersey was in 2007, a remarkable 16 years ago. "A few days ago when we played against Chinese Taipei, I looked at the Hsu brothers (Hsu Dan, Hsu Po) and thought, 'When I first came to Taiwan, I was their age. I was running and jumping just like them,'" Norwood said. Please continue reading (Image source: Basketball Association provided).

Norwood grew up in the United States and moved several times due to his father being a member of a coaching staff in American football. He later attended George Mason University, and in the 2006 NCAA tournament, George Mason made a surprising "Cinderella" run to the Final Four, completing the most amazing journey in NCAA history. Although George Mason was not a bottom-seeded team in the tournament, they were ranked 11th seed and defeated top-ranked schools such as Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and Connecticut. They eventually lost to the champion, the University of Florida, in the Final Four. This was George Mason's first and only time reaching the Final Four, a memory that Norwood still cherishes.

"We didn't have a single NBA player, zero," Norwood said. He mainly served as the sixth man, but none of his George Mason teammates went on to play in the NBA. Jai Lewis, their strong center, even became a member of the NFL after failing to be selected in the 2006 NBA draft. However, they defeated players like Maurice Ager, Paul Davis, Shannon Brown, Danny Green, Tyler Hansbrough, Hilton Armstrong, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams, and Rudy Gay, who were highly regarded in college and later had NBA careers. The team that eventually defeated them, the University of Florida, was led by well-known NBA players Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer. "Being able to compete against and even defeat so many future NBA players with a lineup that didn't have any NBA players is something I can always proudly talk about and remember," Norwood said. After finishing his NCAA career, Norwood immediately returned to the Philippines. His experience in the United States made him highly valued by the national team, and he quickly became a member of the national team's training and official roster. In 2008, he joined the Elasto Painters team as the first overall pick and has remained with the team for his 15-year career.

In 2007, he was first selected for the national team and played in his first Jones Cup. "At that time, I felt it was a great honor to wear the Philippines national team jersey and participate in international competitions overseas. I was valued by the coaches, went through many classic battles, and came to the Jones Cup, playing eight to nine games in a row with at most one day of rest. Every day, I experienced the impact of different countries and different basketball cultures, and every game made me feel meaningful," Norwood said. Please continue reading.

Today (August 16th) is the fifth day of the tournament, and after suffering defeats in the first four days, the Philippines finally defeated Iran in double-overtime, achieving their first victory in this Jones Cup. Norwood was sent onto the court during the critical moments of the second overtime by coach Joseller Guiao to complete important defensive tasks, stopping Iran's comeback attempt. Coach Guiao highly appreciated Norwood's contribution, saying, "He is a seasoned player with leadership abilities who fully understands what needs to be done on the court. When we needed defense during crucial moments, he was able to step up and defend. I trust him a lot." Although Norwood may not be the absolute mainstay player with extended playing time in this Jones Cup, he is still an indispensable veteran for the Philippines.

Norwood has excellent physical talent, excelling in both offense and defense. He is almost a guaranteed selection for the national team, a reliable 3D player. He won silver medals with the Philippines in the 2013 and 2015 FIBA Asia Championships (now Asia Cup), achieving the team's best records and advancing to the FIBA World Cup and Olympic qualification tournaments. He has left his mark in Philippine basketball history and has not forgotten the intense battle with the Chinese Taipei team in the 2013 Asia Championships: "I will always remember that year. We had a good performance, but we lost to Taiwan in one game. However, looking back, it was a very exciting game. We had a double-digit lead in the second half, but we were eventually overturned by a sharpshooter from the Chinese Taipei team (Lu Cheng-Ju). I believe it was a fantastic showdown where both sides gave their all. As a player, losing may be disappointing, but there is absolutely no regret," Norwood said. (Image source: Basketball Association provided)