Philippines Senior National Team Thread Vol. V

[lem0nadi]

He did try out for the Samsung Thunders actually, before he commited to UP.

https://all-starmagazine.com/news-and-updates/jacob-bayla-joins-up-fighting-maroons/

"Bayla worked out with a few KBL teams in early 2024, including top contenders in the league. There were exploratory discussions on a possible one plus one offer (one year contract and a player option), but after reflection and discussing with family and friends, the gifted student-athlete opted for University of the Philippines."

I also noticed that time too because I was curious on what decision he will make, saw him following the IG page of Samsung Thunders. He did have some IG stories where he is in Korea.

[JAMSKIE]

If only Calvin Oftana in Gilas uniform shoots the way he did with Talk n Text in last Sunday's game vs. Northport which Northport won, Gilas will even be more lethal offensively.

Mas lalong luluwag sa gitsa sina Kai & Junmar if Calvin's 3pt shotting clicks & the defense against Justin Brownlee would loosen. Now imagine if fellow wingman Dwight Ramos will play his usual offfensive game, Gilas' 2 & 3 spots would be solid.

[JAMSKIE]

He can indeed be the Ramos successor. I'm just hoping we'd have someone taller for that role (still hoping Caelum figures it out) while Bayla replaces Newsome.

Do U think Bayla's current ball handling is good enough for a shooting guard/2-guard (I want to make a distinction between the 2-guard & the small forward positions although both are considered wings) for him to be a national team material in the future?

Of course he is expected to improve on that aspect thru the years since he's only 19 yrs old.

[Metta]

Do U think Bayla's current ball handling is good enough for a shooting guard/2-guard (I want to make a distinction between the 2-guard & the small forward positions although both are considered wings) for him to be a national team material in the future?

Of course he is expected to improve on that aspect thru the years since he's only 19 yrs old.

My take on ballhandling...yes, I believe it is one of the skills that has to be learned at an early age if one wants to be really good at it. However, past a certain point in ability, it can be adequate enough.

People think that all ballhandlers have to have the dribbling ability of Kyrie or Steph to be effective. False. Many great players have simple ballhandling styles and it is enough. Stockton, Magic, Lebron, etc rarely make unnecessary dribbling moves. They use angles, footwork, strength and gulang to protect the ball and get to their spots. Bolick is an example of a local guy.

In that context, Bayla has more than enough innate ballhandling skill, just needs more gulang (which is earned through experience). He's probably better at it than Ramos at the same age. On the question of whether he can play the 2, that was usually his position with his club team in the US.

[Rds]

https://all-starmagazine.com/news-and-updates/jacob-bayla-joins-up-fighting-maroons/

"Bayla worked out with a few KBL teams in early 2024, including top contenders in the league. There were exploratory discussions on a possible one plus one offer (one year contract and a player option), but after reflection and discussing with family and friends, the gifted student-athlete opted for University of the Philippines."

I also noticed that time too because I was curious on what decision he will make, saw him following the IG page of Samsung Thunders. He did have some IG stories where he is in Korea.

Do you know what course he is taking?

[JAMSKIE]

People think that all ballhandlers have to have the dribbling ability of Kyrie or Steph to be effective. False. Many great players have simple ballhandling styles and it is enough. Stockton, Magic, Lebron, etc rarely make unnecessary dribbling moves. They use angles, footwork, strength and gulang to protect the ball and get to their spots. Bolick is an example of a local guy.

Very much agree with U bro. One doesn't have to be a fancy dribbler to become an efficient ball handler. As you mentioned, John Stockton's dribbling was just so basic & old school (nothing fancy) yet he is considered as among the best point guards in the NBA of all time. I think the same also can be said about our Hector Calma & Sonny Jaworski that very basic lang talaga yung dribbling nila without much fancy (though Jaworski's passing was fancy but effective). These point guards hardly demonstrated fancy dribbling like crossover dribble before driving hard to the lane or between the legs dribble. U mentioned Robert Bolick as another non-fancy dribbler, yeah I think Bolick's dribbling is also very basic.

[Metta]

Very much agree with U bro. One doesn't have to be a fancy dribbler to become an efficient ball handler. As you mentioned, John Stockton's dribbling was just so basic & old school (nothing fancy) yet he is considered as among the best point guards in the NBA of all time. I think the same also can be said about our Hector Calma & Sonny Jaworski that very basic lang talaga yung dribbling nila without much fancy (though Jaworski's passing was fancy but effective). These point guards hardly demonstrated fancy dribbling like crossover dribble before driving hard to the lane or between the legs dribble. U mentioned Robert Bolick as another non-fancy dribbler, yeah I think Bolick's dribbling is also very basic.

I just want to add...basic does not automatically mean they have low ability. Bolick, Calma, Stockton, etc...can make all the moves. Crossovers, between the legs, behind the back, etc. Those foundational moves still has to be mastered and it still takes a lot of work and time. This is the part where early training is key so it becomes second nature. The difference with them and the Kyries are they keep it simple...less is more philosophy. I use Bolick as a local example because I've personally seen he can make ridiculous moves but by choice he keeps it simple.

A guy like Bayla obviously has trained ballhandling at an early age. I'm sure there are vids of him dribbling with 2 or 3 balls and tennis balls, most Filams grow up doing that. So he has the muscle memory and the ability to do the moves on his own, now it's just a matter of gaining experience doing it against higher level (and more physical) defense.

[lurklurk]

Saw some discussion about Boatwright playing the 3 spot for Cone's Gilas. Reminded me of 2021-22 cavs with markannen-mobley-allen front court which at the time i thought had great potential defensively especially with the mobility of both mobley and allen. A frontcourt of Edu/QMB-Sotto-Boatwright would be exciting to watch both defensively and offensively.

[IPC]

Saw some discussion about Boatwright playing the 3 spot for Cone's Gilas. Reminded me of 2021-22 cavs with markannen-mobley-allen front court which at the time i thought had great potential defensively especially with the mobility of both mobley and allen. A frontcourt of Edu/QMB-Sotto-Boatwright would be exciting to watch both defensively and offensively.

Kai has improved on defense. I didn't expect for him to improve at the rate he did at this point. He actually looked good as an interior presence on defense against NZ and in some B.League games.

I still think Bennie will need adequate defensive support most of the time, especially against the continental powers and beyond Asia. Limit his involvement to just making rotations, which I noticed he can do. At least one of Kai, AJ, Japeth, and QMB (if eligible) is enough. In the absence of Kai, AJ, Japeth, and QMB, we'll need a scheme and the personnel to prevent dribble penetration. In short, strong perimeter defense (preferable for me if we also have strong defenders from 1-3, hehehe). If Bennie, Carl, and Quiambao can at least consistently rotate well enough to prevent and stop penetration, we can afford to have lineups without Kai, AJ, Japeth, and QMB. Come to think of it, it's similar to Lauri. Good offensive player, not the strongest defender, so need adequate personnel and scheme to help him out.

[Dotch]

I just want to add...basic does not automatically mean they have low ability. Bolick, Calma, Stockton, etc...can make all the moves....

i think the best adverb to describe efficient dribbling is "fundamentally sound". I dont have any doubts John Stockton can do the things White Chocolate was doing, but Stockton opted NOT TO, and just stick to the fundamentals.

[ARMIR]

Very much agree with U bro. One doesn't have to be a fancy dribbler to become an efficient ball handler. As you mentioned, John Stockton's dribbling was just so basic & old school (nothing fancy) yet he is considered as among the best point guards in the NBA of all time. I think the same also can be said about our Hector Calma & Sonny Jaworski that very basic lang talaga yung dribbling nila without much fancy (though Jaworski's passing was fancy but effective). These point guards hardly demonstrated fancy dribbling like crossover dribble before driving hard to the lane or between the legs dribble. U mentioned Robert Bolick as another non-fancy dribbler, yeah I think Bolick's dribbling is also very basic.

It's like back to the fundamentals basic dribbling and accurate passing.

[Metta]

i think the best adverb to describe efficient dribbling is "fundamentally sound". I dont have any doubts John Stockton can do the things White Chocolate was doing, but Stockton opted NOT TO, and just stick to the fundamentals.

A common current occurrence...to blow by a defender a guy will do 4 or more moves when in reality 1 to 2 moves is enough.

It's why current generation thinks the older generation aren't skilled, they mistake flash for skill. Less is more, especially before when hand-checks were allowed. You had to be efficient or you'll get clamped down on. Not a lot of broken ankles then coz handchecks will keep you in front, now defenders have to constantly dance with the ballhandler.

[JAMSKIE]

If only Kevin Quiambao started playing as a wing (as a small forward to be soecific) at an earlier age, he would be a significantly better player, as a national team player in particular. The recent season 87 of the UAAP showed how limited KQ's moves in the perimeter becoz he played as a big man at an early age. If only he started playing as a wingman some 7 yrs ago, I think he would be more fluid playing that position now.

If you look at it, iba pa rin yung mga galaw ng natural wingmen like a Dwight Ramos, a Calvin Oftana (this despite Oftana's struggle with Gilas) or a Ken Tuffin. These guys are a lot more fluid in their moves in the perimeter.

[lurklurk]

Kai has improved on defense. I didn't expect for him to improve at the rate he did at this point. He actually looked good as an interior presence on defense against NZ and in some B.League games.

I still think Bennie will need adequate defensive support most of the time, especially against the continental powers and beyond Asia. Limit his involvement to just making rotations, which I noticed he can do. At least one of Kai, AJ, Japeth, and QMB (if eligible) is enough. In the absence of Kai, AJ, Japeth, and QMB, we'll need a scheme and the personnel to prevent dribble penetration. In short, strong perimeter defense (preferable for me if we also have strong defenders from 1-3, hehehe). If Bennie, Carl, and Quiambao can at least consistently rotate well enough to prevent and stop penetration, we can afford to have lineups without Kai, AJ, Japeth, and QMB. Come to think of it, it's similar to Lauri. Good offensive player, not the strongest defender, so need adequate personnel and scheme to help him out.

Agree with all your points. To add, low chance Bennie will be the lone big in any 5-man line up, worst case scenario is it will be him and Junmar. In that case, they need players that will let Junmar stay in drop, meaning they need quick and high iq wings/guards so they can pre-switch or peel switch maybe (thompson, newsome, ramos, oftana, hopefully malonzo and quiambao). Would be exciting to watch CTC have them execute.

[lurklurk]

If only Kevin Quiambao started playing as a wing (as a small forward to be soecific) at an earlier age, he would be a significantly better player, as a national team player in particular. The recent season 87 of the UAAP showed how limited KQ's moves in the perimeter becoz he played as a big man at an early age. If only he started playing as a wingman some 7 yrs ago, I think he would be more fluid playing that position now.

If you look at it, iba pa rin yung mga galaw ng natural wingmen like a Dwight Ramos, a Calvin Oftana (this despite Oftana's struggle with Gilas) or a Ken Tuffin. These guys are a lot more fluid in their moves in the perimeter.

I share the same sentiments with Carl Tamayo as well. I remember saying before that he should train as a 2-guard even if he will mostly be used as a 3 or 4. Hopefully both can still develop and improve their guard skills because both are very great prospects and should aim to have a complete game offensively and defensively.