HEIGHT is indeed might for Gilas Pilipinas youth, but so will be its outside shooting.
And for coach Sandy Arespacochaga, that's where Xyrus Torres comes in.
"He's a shooter and he’s one of the key players for us," the national youth team mentor said.
Torres, a rookie out of Far Eastern University, has impressed in Gilas Youth's tuneup games heading into the 2019 Fiba Under-19 World Cup with his excellent marksmanship.
But that shouldn't really come as a surprise, especially with how the 6-foot gunner has done the same job in the 2018 Fiba Under-18 Asian Championship in Thailand under coach Josh Reyes.
Though he only averaged 3.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in the tournament, Torres had his moment against United Arab Emirates, pouring 12 points on a 40 percent shooting from distance.
But getting his shots up is the least of the Kapampangan guard's concerns.
"Sabi nga ni coach, mag-focus lang kami sa depensa tapos yung opensa namin, darating lang din. Yun ang susubukan namin gawin sa Greece kasi yun ang goal namin eh, manalo. Tiyagain lang namin at ipakita namin yung ginagawa namin sa training," he said.
Aside from Torres, Gilas Youth is also counting on shooters Terrence Fortea and Migs Oczon, as well as wingers Dave Ildefonso and Rhayyan Amsali, to hit those long balls in Greece.
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