TAKING on a new role is never an easy task especially under time pressure, but Dwight Ramos seems to be responding well.
In the absence of an injured Scottie Thompson, the 6-foot-5 Japan B.League import was handed the backcourt leadership job for Gilas Pilipinas by coach Tim Cone, and he's proving to be up for the challenge.
He explains why
"A couple years ago with [former Gilas coach] coach Tab [Baldwin], he was preparing me for this role," said the Fil-American guard. "I just kept on working on it, and I got the chance to do that now."
Coach Tim Cone initially bared that Gilas would play the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia with an 11-man roster, and will bank on Ramos as the primary ball-handler in the absence of regular starter Thompson.
READ Cone believes Dwight-Newsome-Perez rotation can fill Scottie void
Good for Ramos, he's no stranger to a role he now shares with Meralco's Chris Newsome and San Miguel star CJ Perez. Plus the combo guard is full aware that he needs to be versatile under Cone's triangle offense.
"I'm going to get comfortable with it," said Ramos, who finished with 19 points, three rebounds, and four steals in the 74-64 tuneup win over the Taiwan Mustangs on Monday night at the PhilSports Arena.
"I'm sure the coaching staff is going to get us ready whatever plan they come up with is going to be the best for us."
Besides, he added: "The PG job, I don't need to keep the ball at all times, as long as I keep passing the ball around, that's kind of the job."
Having said that, Ramos said Thompson's shoes will be hard to fill.
"It's a big loss, we're trying to pick up his place but it's a big shoe to fill," he said. "The next two tuneup games are against big two national teams, that's going to be a test for us too."
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