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    Three sets of brothers in Gilas pool a rarity, but it hardly moves Baldwin

    Ravenas, Gomez de Lianos, and Nietos vie for spots in Gilas team to qualifiers
    Feb 7, 2020
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

    IN a rare occasion, three sets of brothers are in the national pool as Gilas Pilipinas prepares for the first window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers.

    The Ravena brothers Kiefer and Thirdy, twins Matt and Mike Nieto, and the Gomez de Liano siblings Juan and Javi are all vying for spots in coach Mark Dickel's final roster for matches against Thailand and Indonesia.

    The last time brothers were present in the Philippine team was when the Nietos earned their spots in the Jamike Jarin-coached Batang Gilas team for the 2014 Fiba Under-17 World Championship in Dubai.

    Familiarity is definitely a plus for having brothers who have played together all their lives.

    But for Tab Baldwin, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) program director for the seniors team, those bonds are acknowledged but doesn't really hold much weight as all players in the 24-man pool are assessed individually.

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    What matters to this new national team pool is building a culture and fostering players who will embrace that system in preparation for the 2023 Fiba World Cup.

    "First and foremost for 2023 is to develop a culture. And it needs to be a culture of belief, dedication, and commitment," he said.

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      Three brothers in one pool is certainly a novelty, but Baldwin said that doesn't have any significance on what they plan to achieve at Gilas.

      "We know that every single Filipino wants us to win every single game, and we do, too. And we'll plan for that, we'll prepare for that, we'll compete for that," he said. "But we're also running a parallel line with the development of younger players for the future."

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      PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
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