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    Mark Nonoy, Rhenz Abando on Baldwin's radar as Gilas pool expands

    Former UST duo among the select players Gilas coaches are looking at, says Tab
    May 13, 2021

    MARK Nonoy and Rhenz Abando are among the collegiate stars under consideration for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) as potential additions to the youthful Gilas Pilipinas pool.

    SBP program director Tab Baldwin bared on Thursday's Zoom In on SPIN that the two are among those being discussed by the coaches as possible additions once Gilas expands its pool after the third window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers in Clark.

    "We will be looking to expand the pool anyway, so I'm looking at the players like Mark Nonoy and Rhenz Abando as well. You know, expanding, bringing in more talent in as long as players are available," the American-New Zealander said.

    "When we have the opportunity to expand the pool, that's what we want to do."

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    The former Gilas coach is no stranger to Nonoy and Abando, who, when they were still playing for University of Santo Tomas, gave Baldwin and Ateneo all they could handle this past UAAP Season 82.

    The two have since departed Espana, with Nonoy committing to La Salle and Abando joining Letran.

    "I love their speed and athleticism," Baldwin noted.

    But for Nonoy and other small guards to make an impact with Gilas outside Asia, Baldwin, a veteran internationalist who led New Zealand to the Final Four of the 2002 World Championship, said they will have to develop into 'elite defenders.'

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    "Mark at the point is small. But just watching him play, talking to the other coaches and thinking about him more and more, he's a kid that seems to overcome the limitations of his size," Baldwin said of the La Salle recruit. "Defensively, there's going to be real challenges for him, and we're seeing the same thing with RJ Abarrientos and SJ Belangel.

    "In Southeast Asia, it's no problem. In Asia, it's probably a winnable case for them. But when you get to the international level, you have to be an elite defender if you're small. We want to try and help them achieve that, because their offensive capabilities, their speed, their ability to create offense is, it's outstanding."

    Baldwin continued: "For Rhenz Abando, he's just a kid that can really shoot the ball. He's a tremendous athlete and he shows that he can play in big moments."

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    James Spencer is another player in Baldwin's radar.

    Spencer, a former Gilas Youth member and a UP Fighting Maroon, currently plays for the Dandenong Rangers in the second-tier NBL1-South in Australia.

    "We really liked him. He's a big, strong, talented guard who is a tremendous defender," the mentor said of the Fil-Aussie guard.

    Aside from the three, other names in consideration are Ken Tuffin and AJ Edu.

    Tuffin is with the Wellington Saints in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZ NBL), while Edu remains in the US with his college team Toledo Rockets.

    Assured to be invited in the next bubble are Thirdy Ravena, who just wrapped up his first B.League season in Japan with the San-En NeoPhoenix, and Juan Gomez de Liano, as Gilas prepares for the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade in July and the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup in Indonesia in August.

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      Baldwin reiterated, though, that invites will mean nothing unless the prospects show commitment to the Gilas program.

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      "There would be other names, given their availability, given their desire. We will expand the pool to include all of those guys. We see all of them as competing for places in this team and ultimately, it broadens the number of players that we ultimately have to choose from," he said.

      "We're always on the lookout for which players are evolving and we will bring them in and this is going to be the nature of the program."

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