Norman Black’s Hardest Win: Why this Gilas SEA Games gold means everything

Norman Black’s résumé hardly needs introduction. He has conquered the UAAP, collected championships in the PBA, and tasted success on the international stage. Yet after decades on the sidelines, the veteran coach insists that one triumph now stands above the rest: Gilas Pilipinas’ gold medal run in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

Not the most glamorous roster. Not the smoothest preparation. But perhaps the most demanding journey of his coaching life.

“Right now it ranks number one because it’s the most recent one. And this has been a really difficult journey. You guys don’t really realize. I rank it number one, no question,” Black told POC Media after Gilas edged host Thailand, 70–64, in the final at Nimibutr Stadium.

Black knows what championship moments feel like. He was there in 2011, when he steered a youthful, collegiate-based squad to SEA Games gold in Jakarta. Fourteen years later, the setting was familiar, but everything else had changed.

“That was in 2011, 14 years ago, that was also a memorable championship. This one was a little bit better because we had to go through so much adversity to get to this point,” he said.

This time, adversity defined the campaign long before the opening tip. Black began laying the groundwork as early as September, only to see the plan constantly disrupted. Eligibility rules shifted. Player availability evaporated. The roster he envisioned slowly unraveled.

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KINGS OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN BASKETBALL

The Gilas Pilipinas Men celebrate a triumphant gold medal run at the SEA Games 2025 after successfully defending their men’s basketball title against host Thailand.#GilasPilipinas #2025SEAGames #SEAGames #TibayAtTatag #SEAGames2025 pic.twitter.com/x8sbAycjDh

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 20, 2025

“I know I shut down the media a little bit, and I didn’t talk because every time I would say something, it seemed like the organizing committee would change the rules. So I decided I wasn’t going to mention anything publicly anymore because they’re using our information against us,” Black explained.

At various points, Gilas was expected to feature names like Remy Martin, Justin Brownlee, and Michael Phillips. Then came the bombshell: new rules barring naturalized players and those who acquired passports after turning 16. What looked like a settled lineup became a puzzle Black had to solve almost overnight.

In the end, Gilas marched into battle with a group many outsiders labeled undermanned: Jamie Malonzo, Thirdy Ravena, Dalph Panopio, Matthew Wright, Ray Parks Jr., Cedric Manzano, Justin Chua, Robert Bolick, Von Pessumal, Poy Erram, Abu Tratter, and Veejay Pre. They barely had time to train together, relying more on instincts, talent, and shared resolve than polished systems.

Still, when the gold-medal game arrived, it was the Philippines standing tallest—outlasting both the pressure and a roaring Thai crowd.

“It’s a really great feeling. I’m really proud of the team. The entire experience has been a challenge for me starting back in June and July when we tried to form the first Team. It ended up being a different team than we have now,” Black said.

What mattered most to him wasn’t just the medal, but the buy-in from players who answered the call despite uncertainty.

“I’m so happy with the guys for coming in and dedicating themselves for a short period of time to the goal at hand which is to win the gold medal,” he added.

For Black, the victory became a living lesson in resilience. Months of confusion, rule changes, and roster resets hardened the team instead of breaking it.

“When you’ve gone through what we’ve gone through to get up to this point, adversity doesn’t seem that hard. We basically just go out and fight and pull together,” he said.

He summed up the chaos with the blunt honesty of someone who lived it day by day.

“I went four months not knowing what the rules were. Not knowing what the eligibility rules were. I formed a team, only to be told I couldn’t use that team. And then when I formed another team, I was told I couldn’t use certain players. So I couldn’t really understand the eligibility rules in the tournament. And, hey, I’m glad it turned out for the best,” Black explained.

Years from now, the gold medal will shine just like any other. But for Norman Black, this one will always feel heavier—earned not just through tactics and talent, but through patience, belief, and a refusal to back down when everything seemed stacked against Gilas Pilipinas.

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