A Closer Look at the Gilas Pilipinas Youth Under 19 roster

There will be one glaring concern for Gilas Youth head coach Sandy Arespacochaga coming into the FIBA Under-19 World Cup 2019 in Heraklion, Greece.

“Our forwards and centers can match with our opponents in terms of height. But there is a huge discrepancy with the wing men. Our opponents have 6’ 7” or 6’ 8” wing men,” said the Ateneo Blue Eagles deputy coach.

Despite the odds, the squad is raring to shock Greece, Argentina, and Russia in pool play. That will only happen if they play with their strengths. Upbeat tempo and nifty ball distribution will be their counter to the height mismatch. Expect a lot of screens and shifts during their games

The Twin Towers will hold the fort

Team manager Andrew Teh mentioned during the send-off press conference that this has been the tallest roster they’ve had in years. That yard stick has been stretched by 7’2” Kai Sotto and 6’11” Ariel John Edu.

Coming off his training stint in Atlanta, the U19 World Cup will be the platform to showcase his improvements in strength and shooting range. Bulking up will benefit his interior game as he bang bodies with opposing big men.

Sotto will draw the attention of multiple defenders given his offensive prowess. That would make Edu or the Gilas Youth shooters open for the extra pass. The former Ateneo Blue Eaglet can fluster his defender too if he gets his perimeter game going.

Meanwhile, Edu will be the designated defender of the best big man in the other squad. His length and his hustle allows him to block or alter several shots. The other team will be petrified once he gets the block party in full swing.

This doesn’t mean that Edu couldn’t score. What a dynamic Gilas Youth will have for having two front court pillars that can hurt opponents in multiple ways. The Filipino-Nigerian has shown that he can land the long-distance bomb when needed.

Giving them a breather are Shaun Geoffrey Chiu and Carl Vincent Tamayo. Chiu is more comfortable in grinding it inside and collecting rebounds to maintain possession. Meanwhile, Tamayo will get his points of pick-and-rolls due to his nimble feet for a big man.

Sizing up the Gilas Youth wing men

This is where it gets tricky. If Coach Arespacochaga will go for a tall line-up, he can have Tamayo at the small forward spot. However, that would shorten his power forward and center rotation. If not, the three spot will most likely be delegated to Rhayyan Amsali, James Spencer and John Bismarck Lina.

Amsali is comfortable being the slasher while Spencer is more of a hybrid player who can play shooting guard as well. Meanwhile, offensive rebounding will be Lina’s biggest contribution to the squad. Expect him to play the power forward spot if a quick but small team will be fielded.

Dave Ildefonso and Joshua Ramirez will most likely fill the shooting guard position. Ildefonso enjoyed some success during his rookie year with the NU Bulldogs. Meanwhile, Ramirez plays similarly to Ildefonso: push the ball quickly and drain open jumpers. They will open up more opportunities for Edu and Sotto if they can knock down their shots off kick out passes.

Xyrus Dane Torres and Miguel Andre Oczon will be tasked to trap the ball handler during full court or half court pressing defense. They can also throw their defenders off guard with a dash of speed.

Looking at the playmakers

Dalph Panopio will be the starting point guard for Gilas Youth. The 6’ 2” stalwart from AS Stella Azzura in Italy has impressive court vision and slick handles that result to either an easy basket or an assist. It would be exciting to see how he will steer the offense.

Giving him a breather are Gerry Abadiano and Terrence Fortea. Aside from directing the plays, these two guards can quickly cover the passing lanes to get steals. They may be giving a few inches to their opponents, but they should respect the sniping of these two ballers.

Potential starting unit

No question, Edu and Sotto will take the four and five positions. Aside from being two of the team’s best scoring options, they are as tall if not taller than their assignments. The ideal dynamic is to see Sotto play close to the basket during their offensive possessions while Edu takes the middle spot of their 2-3 zone defense.

The small forward position is up for grabs but Amsali should be the best option here. He can exploit open lanes to keep defenses on their toes. Ildefonso must be slotted in at shooting guard for that outside threat if the double team comes. He also serves as a secondary ball handler that can get free from pick-and-rolls.

Finally, Panopio must be the starting point guard. He can also create opportunities for himself if the play is not working. His size will also help him in shadowing his counterpart playmaker.

Picture Credits: SBP FB