DALPH Panopio is a stranger no more to Gilas Pilipinas Youth, with the Rome-based point guard ready to lead the Philippines in the 2019 Fiba Under-19 World Cup.
Familiarity has been the huge question mark for the Stella Azzurra Roma playmaker, but he allayed fears of him not being in the team's buildup in the country earlier in the month as he gets to link up anew with the likes of Kai Sotto and AJ Edu.
"Malaking tulong para sa akin na kakilala ko na sila dahil karamihan ng players dito, nakasama ko na nung last tournament," he said, referring to the 2018 Fiba Under-18 Asian Championship where the Philippines placed fourth to earn a ticket to the World Cup.
Panopio impressed in that tilt as he was Gilas Youth's top distributor with 4.0-assists average to go with his 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.
He also followed it up with a solid statline of 14 points, five boards, four assists, and three steals in the national youth team's final tuneup against Al Rayyan to pull off the 93-64 win last Wednesday (Manila time) in Doha.
As much as the hype has been placed on the Philippines' frontline bannered by Sotto and Edu, the 6-foot-1 Panopio argued that the country's backcourt could also hold its own in the world stage, with him set to link up with Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, Xyrus Torres, Migs Oczon, and James Spencer in coach Sandy Arespacochaga's guard rotation.
"Malaki yung tiwala ko sa backcourt namin. Isa rin sila sa mga magagaling natin na point guards sa Pilipinas pagdating sa age group. Kumpyansa ako na kaya naming harapin ang mga kalaban," he said.
More than anything, Panopio said that it will always bring him immense pride to represent the country, especially in a stage as enormous as the World Cup.
"Sobrang excited lang talaga ako para ma-represent ulit ang ating bansa," he said.
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