YENG Guiao couldn’t help but marvel at the skillset of Gilas Pilipinas guard Dwight Ramos, who he agreed can already play in the PBA if he decides to.
Guiao was left impressed by Ramos’ play after seeing him up close as analyst for ONE Sports’ telecast of the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers November window, where the Fil-Am guard stood out in two victories against Thailand.
“I can agree to that,” said Guiao in a recent SPIN Sidelines episode, referring to the assessment of Uichico of the Ateneo player. “Si Dwight Ramos probably can skip college and go straight and be drafted in the PBA.”
“Very stable ‘yung laro niya on offense and defense. You can see that he is smart. You can see that he is very deliberate, no wasted effort,” said Guiao.
More than his individual skills, Guiao said the 6-foot-4 Ramos, who is listed as a point guard, is the rare gifted player who easily grasps the concept of team play.
“He knows how to play with the team. Maraming magaling na magaling lang sa sarili. Magaling na, individually, ang galing nito," said the former national coach. "Pero eto, makikita mo na individually, meron siyang galing and then puwede mo siyang isalpak sa team na mapapagaling pa niya ‘yung sa paligid niya.”
In three appearances in the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers, the Ateneo cager, who is technically in residency and has not played a single UAAP game, averaged 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. That includes a five-point, five-rebound, two-steal performance in the February window where PBA players also saw action.
“Meron kasing magaling na kapag sinalpak mo sa isang team, siya lang ang lumilitaw na magaling. ‘Yung mga kasama niya, parang, ‘Dati magaling ito ah, bakit nung naging kakampi niya ito, biglang naging hindi na magaling.' Siya na lang magaling’,” Guiao said.
The former Gilas coach who is also the mentor of the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA, said Ramos’ qualities is something that coaches love in players.
“Doon mo makikita kung sino talaga ang magaling na magaling ka on your own, and then you join your group and your team and those people around you still get better. ‘Yun ang hinahabol at pinaglalawayan ng mga coaches, ‘yung mga ganung player,” said Guiao.
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