Filipino hoop fans know what they want to see from the national team.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) made it clear that Gilas Pilipinas will do the unveiling of its final roster for the FIBA World Cup on August 23. But of course, it’s hard for the Gilas die-hards to just sit back and wait for the all-important announcement. In light of the situation, News5 stepped up and made an online checklist of Gilas’ 16-man pool to help the people alleviate their anxiousness.
All they needed to do was check the boxes beside the players who they would want to stay. The visual layout is probably designed to make the task a little less difficult.
The netizens were consistent with their selection of the bigs. For them, June Mar Fajardo, Kai Sotto, who’s recently been cleared to play, AJ Edu, and Japeth Aguilar are untouchable. They were also consistent when it came to Thirdy Ravena. The 26-year-old combo guard received zero checks on the poll. His older brother Kiefer Ravena, meanwhile, still got a few nods amid the bashing that the siblings have been unfairly getting. Perhaps Manong Kiefer’s ability to play the point guard position has made him indispensable in the eyes of some fans.
Gilas supporter Darrel Anthony on the other hand thinks Scottie Thompson as a lead point guard is good enough for the squad. As a result, he chose Calvin Oftana’s size over Kiefer’s ball handling.
Of course, NBA star Jordan Clarkson is a mainstay for the netizens. Likewise, they also view Jamie Malonzo’s combination of length and athleticism to be an invaluable asset. Joining these guys as the netizens’ Gilas locks are Dwight Ramos and Rhenz Abando. Looking at the results, it seems like RR Pogoy, Chris Newsome, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., and Oftana are battling for the final spot.
The people have spoken. The ball is now in the court of Gilas drillmaster Chot Reyes and his coaching staff. A huge part of their decision will be based on the team’s final tune-up games, days before the FIBA World Cup tips off anew.