Two months ago, rumors were rife that Blackwater Bossing guard Sedrick Barefield would be called up for Gilas Pilipinas in the 20th Asian Games. It’s a childhood dream for the explosive Fil‑Am, but even he wasn’t sure if it would really happen.
Now, it is happening, and Barefield is embracing the moment. He is, after all, living one of his dreams.
“It’s a dream come true. It’s something that I’ve thought about since I was a kid, since I was young. Back in June I didn’t know how it was gonna play out, like it was just rumors,” Barefield admitted in the Asiad team’s online press conference on Thursday. “For it to materialize now, I just try to live in the moment, to not let any moments pass me by, and just soak it all in.”
Barefield, who is ineligible to play as a local in FIBA competitions, is one of the headline names of a guard‑heavy Gilas squad playing in the Asian Games.
Barefield Ready to Show Out
One of the PBA’s top scorers since he first arrived in 2024, Barefield is expected to be among Gilas’ main offensive weapons—if not one of the team’s best players overall. It’s a lot of pressure, but the 29‑year‑old is prepared to embrace all of it, as his coach, Pat Aquino, told him.
“He [Aquino] said, ‘Go out there and work hard, show that I belong, compete.’ His advice to me is just to really embrace the moment, embrace being able to be out there with these guys, represent the country,” said the Bossing guard when asked about the advice given to him by Aquino, whose coaching career is marked by multiple international stints with Gilas Women.
To do that, Barefield is coming in with a whatever‑it‑takes mindset as he looks to lean on his equally talented teammates in the pursuit of a golden finish.
“It’s no secret that this team has a lot of talent… For me, it’s just doing whatever I can to impact winning, whether that’s playing defense, trying to get extra possessions,” Barefield said of his role with Gilas. “Just make winning plays and just play within myself. It’s not easy, but it’s what needs to be done for us to just jell…”
Barefield is living his dream. Better believe he’s going for that gold, too.
