KIEFER Ravena found an unlikely ally in Aldin Ayo amid doubts on the playmaker’s worth to be included in Gilas Pilipinas’ final lineup for the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup.
The Converge coach, who has yet to face a college or pro team that Ravena was a part of, rattled off the name of the Shiga Lakes court general as the one he would pick as next in the point guard line if Scottie Thompson was declared unavailable owing to his finger injury.
“I’ll go for Kief,” Ayo said on Tuesday’s SPIN POV episode when asked who he would choose in lieu of Thompson.
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Thompson, though, has received medical clearance to return to practice after being out for a month since the reigning PBA MVP hurt his hand in Gilas’ European training camp.
National coach Chot Reyes has already anointed Thompson as Gilas’ starting point guard, but it remains to be seen whether his game fitness will catch up in time before the coaching staff makes it decision on the Final 12.
If he doesn’t make it, Ayo believes Ravena is capable of handling the playmaking duties – if he lives up to what the position suggests.
“Maging point guard lang si Kief,” Ayo said amid concerns about the offense becoming stagnant when he has the ball. “He has all the tools. Maging point guard lang. pero magaling na bata yan.”
Ayo believes Reyes will also determine how tight his leash will be on Ravena.
“Magde-depende kay coach Chot kung anong ibibigay na role kay Kief,” Ayo said. “Si Kief naman, kung anong role ang binigay mo sa kanya, for sure, he’s going to do that.”
READ: Kiefer Ravena decries fans' disrespect for coach Chot, vows Gilas will turn jeers into cheers
Another pool member who can help Gilas in the wing spot is someone who Ayo already handled during his time at University of Santo Tomas: Rhenz Abando.
“Yung range niya. And especially sa international, he can spread the floor,” Ayo said when asked about Abando's upside. “Pangalawa, he has improved a lot in terms of defense, kasi crucial kay Rhenz, maging two-way [player] siya eh.”
“Walang problema sa kanya sa offense. Yung sa depensa yung tinatrabaho niya. And lastly, his decision-making, crucial yun,” he added.
Ayo feels the Korean Basketball League guard for Anyang KGC is on the way to becoming the complete package, including owning a high basketball IQ.
“He’s working on it,” Ayo said. “Kasi he started late eh. Nung dumating siya sa akin, college na eh. Pero wala ka masabi sa bata in terms of his commitment and he’s willing to learn. Tapos yung exposure na nakuha niya sa Letran and sa international stints niya, I think he’s working on it. And he’s capable of doing it na maging cerebral na player.”
Ayo, though, politely declined to comment on who he would put in Gilas’ final lineup as he has been focused on preparing the Converge FiberXers for the upcoming PBA season while also taking care of his mother, who just passed away after her battle with cancer.
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