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    Fans' corner: Gilas cadets who got an A in opener vs Thais. One might surprise you

    Grading the performances of Gilas cadets in first game vs Thailand
    Nov 30, 2020
    opinion

    By CHRISTIAN MONTEFALCON, Basketball Republic

    Justine Baltazar: 12 points, 5/9 FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block (Grade: A-)

    The prized big man out of La Salle was steady for this youthful Gilas squad. He started the game perfect from the field. He played tremendous defense against Jakrawan, who was the MVP of the Thailand Basketball League. Don’t let his light frame deceive you, because despite that, he sure can bang bodies against hefty big men of the opposing squad.

    Kobe Paras: 3 points, 1/9 FG, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals (Grade: B-)


    The son of basketball legend Benjie Paras has answered the call to represent the flag and country once again. Kobe struggled in his offense. He needs to finetune his offense in order to give Gilas a better shot at winning against stronger opponents. Although, in this game, despite him struggling, he sure made up with his energy by crashing the boards and playing exceptional defense. Don’t forget his monster dunk in the first quarter.

    Dwight Ramos: 20 points, 7/7 FG, 2/2 3FG, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, +/- 30 (Grade: A+)

    Call him Mr. Perfect. Dwight Ramos played a perfect game for this young Gilas squad. At 20 years old, he played like a seasoned veteran for our national team. He seems like a Gabe Norwood on defense but has a reliable offensive game. The beauty about his game is he can play multiple positions. He can be the point guard of the team, like what he displayed when they faced Indonesia, or he can play the shooting guard or the small forward spot and provide stability on offense and wreak havoc on defense for our national team.

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    Rey Suerte: 9 points, 4/8 FG, 1 rebound, 2 assists (Grade: A-)

    The former king Warrior/king Lancer proved that he deserved to be part of this Gilas squad. He started the Gilas onslaught vs Thailand by scoring an athletic lay-up and followed by a silky smooth floater. Suerte did not get his volume touches which he is accustomed to. But when he got his touches he sure made the most out of it. This performance by Suerte proved a lot of doubters’ wrong on his inclusion in this Gilas roster. “Pasikati pa mi idol.”

    Matt Nieto: 4 points, 1/6 FG, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 1 steal (Grade: B)

    The other half of the Nieto twins struggled in this game offense-wise. In his better performances, Matt Nieto usually is an efficient player on offense. In this game he only shot 1/6 from the field, 1/3 from beyond the arc and 2/4 from the charity stripe. Although, he struggled mightily on offense, he made sure his teammates won't by dishing out six assists.

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    Juan Gomez De Liaño: 12 points, 4/11 FG, 3/8 3FG, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal (Grade: A)


    Juan GDL, the pride of UP, sure made the Maroon community proud. He torched the Thais by hitting three-pointers and taking advantage on fast-break opportunities. Juan will be a crucial part of this Gilas squad. Gilas has history of dead airs on offense and they need players like Juan Gomez De Liaño to take over and to take matters in his own hands.

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    Javi Gomez De Liaño: 9 points, 4/6 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist (Grade: B+)

    A lot of people did not expect this kind of performance from Javi. Reading from the comment section of some basketball pages, most of the fans preferred Oftana over Javi. With this kind of performance, he proved that his name deserves to be included in this roster. He shot efficiently by making four out of six attempts and played above average defense against the seasoned veterans of Thailand. There’s nowhere to go but up for this young Gilas stalwart. Keep proving your doubters wrong, Javi.

    Isaac Go: 6 points, 2/3 FG, 1/2 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 assist (Grade: B+)

    Even if Isaac Go is not as athletic as the other big men on the roster, what he lacks in athleticism, he makes up for it through his basketball IQ. Go showed his soft touch by making 50% of his shots from deep in this game. He only had one assist, but the way he dished that assist proves the level of basketball smarts he has in his genes. Do not be fooled by his lack of athleticism because Go is a very mobile big. He is not a liability on defense. At times Go can defend opposing big men better than his athletic comrades.

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    Michael Nieto: 8 points, 2/4 FG, 2/3 3FG, 1 rebound, 2 assist (Grade: A-)


    To be honest, I was one of the doubters when Mike Nieto was included in the Gilas roster. I preferred Oftana over him. Many basketball fans have also doubted his inclusion. Well, ladies and gents, Mike Nieto proved us wrong. The former big man of Batang Gilas has worked hard to change his game. The former banger inside the paint has transformed his game to become a reliable two-guard. He lacks athletic ability for his position, but despite that, he sure makes up with his high basketball IQ and shooting efficiency. During this game, he made two out of three attempts from beyond the arc and provided a strong defensive presence in the perimeter. Continue to prove us wrong, Mike. One big fight!

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    Kemark Carino: 4 points, 2/5 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block (Grade: B-)

    A not-so-explosive Gilas debut for Kemark Carino, although he showed glimpses of what he can contribute when his number is called. Being the third option of this squad at the center position, we can expect only limited minutes for Carino. Despite his limited minutes, he still managed to give good performance on defense. Kemark, however, needs to improve his strength for him not to be pushed over when Gilas faces stronger teams. In this game, he managed to get five attempts but only managed to make two. He needs to be more efficient in making his shots. He has to make those count because he can’t expect to have numerous touches in this squad compared to the touches he will have when he plays for San Beda.

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    William Navarro: 4 points, 2/3 FG, 1 rebound (Grade: B-)

    Not a lot of fireworks for Will Navarro in this game. Though, in his good games Navarro can provide you maybe 10 points and close to seven rebounds and a couple of assists. However, because of the talent level of this squad, his touches have diminished which resulted in his below-average offensive production. Like Carino, if he wants to be a valuable asset of this young Gilas squad, Navarro needs to improve his strength. Although, he is not as hefty as his counterparts, still Navarro is smart enough to use his speed and basketball IQ to take advantage over his defenders. I hope we can see more of him this Monday.

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    Dave Ildefonso: 2 points, 1/2 FG, 1 rebound, 1 assist (Grade: C+)

    This grade of this young Ildefonso does not necessarily reflect on his caliber as a player. The son of PBA and national team legend Danny “Lakay” Ildefonso saw limited action. I am certain Dave will produce if he will only be given more time to showcase his talents as he has already proved dnring his stints with Batang Gilas and Gilas Youth. During those stints, Dave usually tops in scoring production, sometimes he takes over when Batang Gilas or Gilas Youth has scoring droughts. I hope our coaches will give him more opportunities.

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