Philippines Senior National Team Thread Vol. V

[IPC]

I never envisioned either Tamayo or Baltazar to become natural small forwards. What I hoped for them is to become a natural 4 who can play spot minutes at the 3 spot becoz of their decent handles (decent for a 4) & 3-pt shooting. About Kobe Paras, I envisioned him to become a natural small forward about 4 or 5 years ago - a time when he was 19 or 20 & was still very much on the development stage. Such projection was with the hope that Kobe would improve his ball handling, outside shooting & perimeter defense. Right now I see Kobe as a tweener or a combo forward.

Tamayo & Baltazar are natural bigs who happened to have decent outside shooting & ball handling (especially Tamayo) that is why they play as 4's who can play spot mins. at the 3 spot.

Malonzo I think started out as a tweener who played both the 4 & 3 positions with ease.

Carl and Balti are already good as fours. Both have the size, quickness, and the skills to play the position, and they're tweeners. I'm not expecting them to play 3 full time. They're our future at the 4, and are our best players there.

We should be looking to produce more 6'7"-6'8" tweeners like them, though. Even 6'6" ones. Now we should be looking to produce bigger wings and bigger tweeners, as we're already getting them for Gilas.

[KoolAid]

Another 10+ assist game for CJ Perez. He is becoming a combo guard rt now, he should warrant a Gilas callup soon

[carmelo7]

Another 10+ assist game for CJ Perez. He is becoming a combo guard rt now, he should warrant a Gilas callup soon

Perez & Parks should be our starting backcourt for the next 3-4 years w/ Dwight&Heading as back ups
The NZ game has exposed that Lopez,Navarro,Abarrientos,Belangel, even Kiefer wouldnt cut it against elite Teams (China,Iran,AU,NZ, Americas & Europe teams) if we want to make any progress internationally.

Sotto 7'2
Slaughter 7'0 or JF 6'10
Chiu 6'9
Philipps 6'8 (hopefully lol)
Tamayo 6'7
Baltazar 6'7
Malonzo 6'6
Adams 6'5
Ramos 6'4
Parks 6'4
Perez 6'1
Heading 6'2
Williams 6'1 (NP) / Clarkson 6'4

[IPC]

Perez & Parks should be our starting backcourt for the next 3-4 years w/ Dwight&Heading as back ups
The NZ game has exposed that Lopez,Navarro,Abarrientos,Belangel, even Kiefer wouldnt cut it if we want to make any progress internationally.

Sotto 7'2
Slaughter 7'0 or JF 6'10
Chiu 6'9
Tamayo 6'7
Baltazar 6'7
Malonzo 6'6
Adams 6'5 28
Ramos 6'4 24
Parks 6'4 29
Heading 6'2 25
Williams 6'1 30 1.86 (NP) / Clarkson 6'4

We could still use Navarro, put him in for Adams. Still our best full-time man-to-man wing defender, unless we wanna trust Dwight for that. Malonzo is more of a help defender, and Balti could only switch for stretches.

[Rds]

Another 10+ assist game for CJ Perez. He is becoming a combo guard rt now, he should warrant a Gilas callup soon

Combo guard is a new role for him. In the world cup he played SF. He should be joining the qualifiers ASAP to adjust to his new role. The PBA is really selfish to the core. Diba they were founded by disgruntled MICAA team owners who didn't like their players being pulled for international service? I would rather the identified PBA players are pulled right now and joining the FIBA games rather than stopping the PBA for 3 months and making these guys tuneup games where there is no skin in the game. And they are surprised that we get blown out in the World Cup. Many of the key guys will have no recent FIBA experience. Unfortunately the PBA itself is not a training ground. Primarily, I think because of lack of internationally sized players ie tall imports.

[Rds]

We could still use Navarro, put him in for Adams. Still our best full-time man-to-man wing defender, unless we wanna trust Dwight for that. Malonzo is more of a help defender, and Balti could only switch for stretches.

Agree. Navarro is our Gabe-lite. The closest eligible we have that has Gabe's one on one defense.

[carmelo7]

We could still use Navarro, put him in for Adams. Still our best full-time man-to-man wing defender, unless we wanna trust Dwight for that. Malonzo is more of a help defender, and Balti could only switch for stretches.

I want to test Adams & Malonzo for the 3&D roles over Navarro esp after seeing Navarro against elite teams (NZ & to some extent the DR game).
But if we can have all 3 then better hehe

[carmelo7]

Agree. Navarro is our Gabe-lite. The closest eligible we have that is close to Gabe's one on one defense.

Defensively yeah Gabe-lite but we kind of allow Gabe to do those things even w/ the absence of a consistent offense because he could be a PG on the floor which Navarro well...The point is Gabe aside from
being a more than able defensive player plays a big role on the offensive end (tall PG)
At least test Adams & Malonzo defensively coz we know
what they do offensively (Il take Adams the Mighty sports version as basis which is a role player that can hit the 3& Malonzo well we know exactly what he can provide we just want to see if he'a able to deliver against high level opponents like NZ)

[earldeboy]

Still, it doesn't erase the fact that Malonzo's handles is a bit iffy which prevents him from playing as a full time wing (playing the 2 & 3 positions). As I've said, I consider Malonzo as a combo forward or a tweener being in the same mold as a prime Kelly Williams, Sean Anthony, Jason Perkins.

Compared to Baltazar &Tamayo, I think Malonzo is more versatile & flexible.

Being a wing player doesn't necessarily require great handles, case in point, Orlando Magic's Jonathan Isaac. Also, with the games that I've seen of Malonzo, imo, he has decent handles to be a full time wing. I don't see anything with his game that prevents him to be an effective wing player. As long as one is versatile enough to defend opposing guard and wing players, you can become a full time wing.

[earldeboy]

Yes, but Malonzo isn't in the level of natural wingmen like Danny Seigle, Wright, Parks, Jeff Chan in terms of ball handling.

Even against Danny Seigle? Nah. That's a reach.

[DAdmiral]

How does Malonzo compare to a young Kelly Williams?

[carmelo7]

Being a wing player doesn't necessarily require great handles, case in point, Orlando Magic's Jonathan Isaac. Also, with the games that I've seen of Malonzo, imo, he has decent handles to be a full time wing. I don't see anything with his game that prevents him to be an effective wing player. As long as one is versatile enough to defend opposing guard and wing players, you can become a full time wing.

Exactly, Malonzo is the answer to our prayers for a SF when Paras
became a disappointment. He's 6'6 decent handles and perimeter game including the 3 & he plays hard. Relative to the 6'5-6'7 filams that came before him (Norwood,JWash,Holper,Kelly,Devance,Seigle,Dilling er,MGR) Malonzo I would say has the complete package to be our 3/SF guy

[carmelo7]

How does Malonzo compare to a young Kelly Williams?

Short answer: Malonzo is a better match up for Abercrombie compared to Chan and Wright lol

[DAdmiral]

Short answer: Malonzo is a better match up for Abercrombie compared to Chan and Wright lol

That actually fills a Gilas void and need
One observation comment I heard from the recent NZ blowout was , it's not actually the hight difference (which is similar) , but it's Nz had real athletes and Gilas didn't. It 's more pronounced and evident on the defensive end , rebounding and speed to lose balls
Imagine how much better Gilas would be if it had three 6'5 " Abueva's at its disposal.

[carmelo7]

I get those that want to temper everyone's expectations that he's not as good offensively as Chan or prime Seigle or not good ballhandler as a Wright, but c'mon now really comparing him to Chan???? they're on a different tier lol