FIBA: Young Veterans Go, Grandson ready for leadership roles at Gilas

MANILA, Philippines – While the Gilas Pilipinas team competing in the next qualifying window for the FIBA ​​Asia Cup 2021 is youth, the players are not entirely without experience when it comes to international basketball.

With PBA players still competing in the Philippine Cup or recovering from a tough campaign in the bubble, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) chose to form a young team made up of recent graduates and college players.

Anchoring the team are the four players who already saw action in the February 2020 qualifying window: Isaac Go, Dwight Ramos, Juan Gomez de Liano and Matt Nieto. Kobe Paras has also been listed as a potential team leader, thanks in part to his experience playing international hoops for flag and country.

“There is really no additional pressure in terms of leading the team now, because there has already been pressure because we have to represent the country well,” Go said during a press conference last Friday, where team members introduced themselves.

“But in terms of preparing the team, the guys for the international game, I think we’ve been sharing words of wisdom with them about what it’s really like.”

For the four players who dressed in February, they had the luxury of learning from the veterans who were also competing for Gilas at the time.

NLEX point guard Kiefer Ravena had been the team’s captain when they played in February, while the TNT trio of Roger Pogoy, Troy Rosario and Poy Erram also saw action in the 100-70 demolition of Indonesia by Gilas. Justin Chua of Phoenix Super LPG, Abu Tratter of Alaska and CJ Perez of TerraFirma Dyip also represented Gilas in February.

“Playing with professionals like Kiefer, CJ, because they have a lot of nature in our youth,” Nieto said. “So now is our time, Isaac, Dwight, Juan and I, to go back to the rookies who will play for the first time here in the window.”

“We will be role models, we will be influencers on the pitch, so that they know how we should play, especially those who will play in an international competition for the first time,” he added.

Go says it’s up to them to “continue the cycle” and show younger players how to play internationally. While some members of the current roster have represented the Philippines at youth events, there are also those who are preparing for Gilas for the first time.

“We are simply passing on the knowledge that veterans had, the wise words that veterans gave us from the first window,” Go said. “We’re just sending it to them and we hope to continue the cycle to improve and make sure everyone is ready.”

The team heads to Bahrain today, before playing Thailand twice on November 27-30.

Gilas Pilipinas currently have a 1-0 record in Group A due to their win over Indonesia in February. South Korea, which is 2-0, will not play in the Bahrain bubble after its federation withdrew due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.