Just curious though, was Oftana already playing the 3 spot back in SBC? I always have this idea in my head that he was playing the 4/5 spot in SBC because that is the usual position for a guy his height playing in college.
Oftana played 4 at San Beda, but the kind of 4 who had decent handles & outside shooting to play the 3. But I believe Oftana really worked to improve his ball handling when he entered the PBA or even prior to his entry into the PBA becoz he expected that his PBA team will play him mostly at the 3 spot.
Oftana played 4 at San Beda, but the kind of 4 who had decent handles & outside shooting to play the 3. But I believe Oftana really worked to improve his ball handling when he entered the PBA or even prior to his entry into the PBA becoz he expected that his PBA team will play him mostly at the 3 spot.
Oftana played 4 at San Beda, but the kind of 4 who had decent handles & outside shooting to play the 3. But I believe Oftana really worked to improve his ball handling when he entered the PBA or even prior to his entry into the PBA becoz he expected that his PBA team will play him mostly at the 3 spot.
Oftana aside from having skills got lucky. First he got in Tabs Gilas which pegged him at a perimeter spot. Then under Yeng he was allowed to freelance and create on offense. Chot pegged him at the Troy Rosario role as offensive rebounder. If Pogoy did not get sidelined forcing TNTs hand Oftana wouldve regressed.
Oftana aside from having skills got lucky. First he got in Tabs Gilas which pegged him at a perimeter spot. Then under Yeng he was allowed to freelance and create on offense. Chot pegged him at the Troy Rosario role as offensive rebounder. If Pogoy did not get sidelined forcing TNTs hand Oftana wouldve regressed.
Jamie Malonzo isn't really a natural 3 which Calvin Oftana is. I just think that in terms of ball handling & 3 pt. shooting, Oftana has the edge over Malonzo.
This is honestly what I like about Beda, and Ateneo as well. UP's team this season turned me off (the team as a whole, I still like some players), but they've done this with Lucero, Torculas, and hopefully Belmonte. La Salle has done this with Abadam and hopefully Policarpio. They're having tall, lanky, mobile guys to play the 3, especially if they have perimeter skills, even if they're lined up at 4.
As for Oftana, yes, he was lucky to get to Beda, and then translated that perimeter skill to Tab's Gilas and Yeng's NLEX. And then Pogoy's health situation, and Mikey's contract situation. Buti na lang, that arrested and reversed his regression in TNT, and he shined again. TNT until recently has had a poor track record of development.
But if you a young stud.. Just focus first on your development first before thinking big money... They are too young to be greed for money... Their profession is to be basketball player, So what is the first priority? If they want big money then prefer to be businessman than to be a basketball player... Playing time is the most important aspect to start your basketball career.. I know we should earn it first, But i know Tamayo is a hardworking person, Why until now he didn't get chance to prove himself? One poster said look at Carino, Yes... Look at him, he was benched in his Japan stint, He learned his lesson, Go back to PBA and earn his minutes.. He has good quality minutes in the PBA now... Even Christian David, Ricci and Javi having good quality minutes in the PBA, All of them was benched overseas... Here in the PBA, they will get minutes, They will be prioritize, they will be develop.. Nevermind the internal problems inside the PBA, But PBA is best way to start your PBA career.. If you are good, foreign leagues will try to tap you by the way...
That poster was me on Carino. He developed in Japan, and him making a good impact in the PBA showed. Didn't necessarily get minutes there, but as Metta said, you can still develop even if you're not getting PT.
It's not really the internal problems of the PBA that bothers me about young players going here. It's their non-commitment to the NT until last year. Before the WC (starting from the August 2022 window) and Asian Games this year, their commitment has been minimal.
How can we be sure that the league will commit to the national team from this point on? As in give ample preparation time for the players, especially before tournaments. That's why I'm in favor of players going abroad. When the PBA is surely committed, then I can be OK with our best youngsters staying here.
Let's see if PBA will commit from now on...
It's not really the internal problems of the PBA that bothers me about young players going here. It's their non-commitment to the NT until last year. Before the WC (starting from the August 2022 window) and Asian Games this year, their commitment has been minimal.
How can we be sure that the league will commit to the national team from this point on? As in give ample preparation time for the players, especially before tournaments. That's why I'm in favor of players going abroad. When the PBA is surely committed, then I can be OK with our best youngsters staying here.
If the PBA does commit for the FIBA windows who should be included in the final roster? I think GIlas should move on from Roger Pogoy, Japeth Aguilar and Marcio Lassitier.
Here's my take about the PBA's representation of the national team, I think for the World Cup tournament proper & its window qualifiers, PBA will really commit to lend its top players (the league wants to ride on the World Cup bandwagon eh), what I doubt would be PBA's willingness take a break to give way to the FIBA Asia Cup tournament proper & its window qualifiers.
Nangyari na yan in last year's FIBA Asia Cup eh. In so far as our Gilas B-league & KBL players are concerned, wala tayong problema in their stints in the FIBA Asia Cup & qualifying windows simply becoz the calendars of B-league & the KBL are synchronized with that of FIBA. The same could not be said with our beloved PBA.
In short, malaki talagang problema ng Philipine basketball yung non-synchronization of the PBA calendar with the FIBA calendar. PBA season is ongoing during the July-August-September period which is when FIBA & other international or invitational tournaments are usually held. On the other hand, lahat na yata ng professional basketball leagues on the planet are on their off season during the July-August-September period. Dito pa lang makikita mo kaagad yung major flaw eh.
I think Japeth has already retired from national team service. Lassiter I think had already played his last international game in Gilas jersey in the recent Asian Games. With regards to Pogoy, I think he's still serviceable for Gilas, but with his advanced age, you would rather have a mid-20's or early 20's shooting guard replacing him at the 2-spot. Well, there's Rhenz Abando who is in his mid-20's. Then there's Thirdy Ravena who is 27 yrs old. I know not many posters here like Thirdy but I think he is serviceable with Gilas if the coach knows how to utilize him. With CJ Perez as our main 2-guard at Gilas, & Abando now getting better & better in the KBL, Thirdy could be our 3rd man at the 2-guard spot behind Perez & Abando. Meaning we will only give Thirdy token minutes which I believe he can be effective becoz he can provide competent defense. Just give Thirdy around 8 to 12 minutes in a game, I believe he can help the team. The good thing about Thirdy is that he is always available for national team service & he is already an experienced player in FIBA.
Not to mention Ken Tuffin and Jordan Heading (if his back is good enough). Newsome sana, but he turns 34 next year (although he could be a bit useful in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup if the PBA adjusts its calendar).
If Dave Ildefonso and Justin Gutang show improved play, they should also be considered at the 2-guard spot.
Is Gutang eligible?
Yes, he is. FIBA ruled so: https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/...misi-cleared-to-play-as-locals-by-fiba/246091
Yeah, I really hope they commit, as in talagang commitment, not half-assed like in the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup, 2018 Asiad, 2019 WC, and 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. Quality players (by that, I mean players with potential as well as good performers that can still perform in the FIBA stage) are made available.
If not, that's why plenty of us would prefer for our younger players to go abroad. They're made available for every FIBA tournament and window. If they're out, either they're not called up or they beg off (unless they recently signed with their new team).
Not to mention Ken Tuffin and Jordan Heading (if his back is good enough). Newsome sana, but he turns 34 next year (although he could be a bit useful in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup if the PBA adjusts its calendar).
If Dave Ildefonso and Justin Gutang show improved play, they should also be considered at the 2-guard spot.