EVEN Geo Chiu could see the difference in Kai Sotto since the last time they shared the court together.
"Una kong napansin talaga sa kanya yung lumapad siya," he said of his former frontcourt partner in Ateneo who has spent the past two months training in Atlanta.
"Minsan naguusap kami sa Instagram tapos naglolokohan kami, sabi niya yung muscles niya nga lumaki. And yun yung una kong nakita ko sa kanya, yung pag lapad niya. Mas nagka-moves na siya kasi mas maganda yung training nila doon so yung skillset niya mas lumawak. He got better."
And for Chiu, that only means great things for Sotto and the Gilas Pilipinas Youth as they prepare for the 2019 Fiba Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece later this month.
With the Philippines trotting out what is easily its tallest lineup yet, the 6-foot-8 slotman is more confident with the crew he has with him, as he'll be joined upfront by Sotto, AJ Edu, Bismarck Lina, and veterans Dave Ildefonso and Rhayyan Amsali.
"I believe na height talaga is one of our advantages compared doon sa iba. Nung naglaro kami sa 2018 Fiba Under-17 World Cup, maliit pa rin kami compared sa iba, and 17 years old pa lang yun so what if yung sa mas matanda pa?," he said.
Chiu, however, knows that the team's ceiling won't mean a thing if Gilas Youth fails to blend in and adapt to the system of new coach Sandy Arespacochaga.
"Paiba-iba yung coaches namin, so we just have to adapt to the new system. Plus, yung chemistry talaga kasi kung di kayo close ng mga kasama mo at parang may awkwardness, that's not good kasi pag nasa court kayo, hindi pwedeng awkward kayo sa isa't isa.
"Sabi nga ni coach, dapat basang basa mo yung mga teammates mo and feel ko, yun yung sobrang important talaga, na may bond kayo ng mga teammates mo," he added.
That's certainly one thing Chiu can proudly say he has with Sotto, whom he spent three years with under the Blue Eaglets, as well as four stints with the national youth team.
"Para sa amin, as long as we play well lang naman, I think we'll able to perform," he said.
The Philippines will have a tall task ahead as it is slotted in Group C together with powerhouse Argentina and Russia, as well as host Greece.
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