They’re the country’s finest wings who donned the Gilas blue.
They are supposed to be the most versatile guys in a basketball team. While some might be considered as specialists either on offense or defense, being able to do a bit of everything is a prerequisite of their position. With that in mind, we wrote part three, pun intended, of our Gilas Pilipinas top five series.
Check out our chosen quintet among Gilas’ best small forwards ever.
5. Troy Rosario
Locally, Rosario is used to playing the power forward position. But with Gilas, he’s been asked to play the three, and he has fully complied. As a result, the national team had someone who can rebound, make baskets around the rim, and knock it down from the outside. But his point production isn’t exactly eye-popping. You can attribute that to the enormous amount of energy he spends defending his taller and more athletic counterparts.
4. Will Navarro
Navarro, at 6-foot-6, also has terrific size and length for a Filipino wing. His physical tools are backed by instincts and fine skills that have been sharpened as he played for Gilas under Tab Baldwin. Put simply, this Ateneo product at small forward is a solid pickup.
3. Calvin Abueva
The energy and hustle he brings can change the mood of the game in an instant. When things were stagnant, Gilas benefited from Abueva’s bottomless motor. There are times, however, when his efforts become excessive and detrimental. Still, the good outweighs the bad when we’re talking about this disruptive beast.
2. Gabe Norwood
The President was a steadying presence on every Gilas squad he’s played for. His defense was first class and he can do damage on the other end as well. Looking back at his dunks over Argentine legend Luis Scola back in the 2014 FIBA Worlds make us think that we may have made an error putting Norwood at the second spot.
1. Dwight Ramos
As much as we love Gabe, there’s just an undeniable gap between him and Ramos in terms of firepower. The 24-year-old swingman can perform ball-handling duties, facilitate, defend, and at the same time carry the offensive load for Gilas. His overall impact is ahead of anyone else’s at the three-spot in our opinion.