Philippines Senior National Team Thread Vol. V

[IPC]

Cone says that they'll be open-minded to expanding the Gilas pool.

https://www.philstar.com/sports/2024/12/31/2410864/cone-open-minded-gilas-pool

I think we should expand the pool. The names mentioned are Heading and Abando.

However, while the guard spots could use the reserves given Newsome's age, I think the more urgent concerns for reserves are a defensive wing and an interior defender. Malonzo's currently injured. Dwight, JB, and Oftana are good on defense, but JB is now 36, so we'll need a reserve defensive wing after JB retires. As for bigs, our only proven interior defenders are Kai, AJ, Ange, and Japeth. AJ has a track record of injuries, Japeth is 37 and I think is only good in shifts, and Ange is a naturalized player (unless we lobby for his exemption).

[JAMSKIE]

Philippines are so blessed with Kai/AJ Frontcourt Duo. It will be the Main Frontline Duo for next 15 years.

I wonder how Boatwright will Complement the two.

Brownlee kinda able to play great with the two of them. I am not sure if Bennie will. Hopefully, he does.

He is a 6'9-6'10 SF Shooter We neeed. And sometimes he can play 4 too.

I think a frontline rotation of Kai, AJ Edu & Boatwright would be very solid. Edu can play both the 4 & 5 positions with ease. Boatwright, while being a natural four, can also play at the 5 spot in some stretches. We all know coach Tim likes to play Kai at the four spot at times. I think Kai plays 4 whenever he & Junmar are on the floor at the same time. With the the 3 players mentioned, we have a versatile/flexible frontline which doesn't compromise size.

[IPC]

Philippines are so blessed with Kai/AJ Frontcourt Duo. It will be the Main Frontline Duo for next 15 years.

I wonder how Boatwright will Complement the two.

Brownlee kinda able to play great with the two of them. I am not sure if Bennie will. Hopefully, he does.

He is a 6'9-6'10 SF Shooter We neeed. And sometimes he can play 4 too.

Bennie complements Kai and AJ by spacing the floor through his shooting. He can move without the ball too.

[IPC]

I think a frontline rotation of Kai, AJ Edu & Boatwright would be very solid. Edu can play both the 4 & 5 positions with ease. Boatwright, while being a natural four, can also play at the 5 spot in some stretches. We all know coach Tim likes to play Kai at the four spot at times. I think Kai plays 4 whenever he & Junmar are on the floor at the same time. With the the 3 players mentioned, we have a versatile/flexible frontline which doesn't compromise size.

Coach Tim did mention in this interview (around the 12:59 minute mark) that Bennie could play as a 3 next to Kai and June Mar. Sir lurklurk also brought up a pre-draft scouting report that Bennie can play the 3, 4, and 5.

I remember questioning Coach Tim floating the idea of Bennie playing next to Kai and June Mar. At the time, Kai hadn't developed into even a decent defender. We all know that June Mar has defensive issues in FIBA, especially against pick and rolls. Bennie can make rotations, but he's not the best man-to-man or interior defender, so I thought that playing him next to Kai and June Mar was crazy. We risked giving up points every other possession, I thought. Then Kai showed improved defense in the OQT, and continued it in the B.League and FIBA windows.

Now, to Bennie, AJ, and Kai. Bennie and Kai can be a good inside-out punch. Kai and AJ can be a great two-way frontcourt duo that can cover for Bennie defensively. As much as possible (at least against the Asian and MENA powers, Aussie, NZ, and non-Asian teams), I think we need at least one of Kai, AJ, or some other interior defender (Japeth for short stints, or maybe QMB, Ange, Mike Phillips) next to Bennie so that Bennie's limitations on defense are covered. Now, I hope AJ is healthy for big tournaments and big windows, and I hope we have another backup defensive big ready so that we can more easily replace Japeth as the backup interior defender.

[mathematicianrcg]

I think a frontline rotation of Kai, AJ Edu & Boatwright would be very solid. Edu can play both the 4 & 5 positions with ease. Boatwright, while being a natural four, can also play at the 5 spot in some stretches. We all know coach Tim likes to play Kai at the four spot at times. I think Kai plays 4 whenever he & Junmar are on the floor at the same time. With the the 3 players mentioned, we have a versatile/flexible frontline which doesn't compromise size.

Yep, I dont have any worries in the Frontline for the Future

If anything, it is the guards who we need replacement

Newsome and Scottie are too old for the timeline.

Fortunately, Dwight is still om the same agw bracket.

But we will meed quality tall quality guards again.

[JAMSKIE]

Yep, I dont have any worries in the Frontline for the Future

If anything, it is the guards who we need replacement

Newsome and Scottie are too old for the timeline.

Fortunately, Dwight is still om the same agw bracket.

But we will meed quality tall quality guards again.

Speaking of frontline of the future, the only concern we should have is the inevitable retirement from the national team of Junmar Fajardo who is now 35 yrs old. I expect that retirement would come either this year or next year. With Junmar's anticipated retirement, we will have Kai, AJ Edu, Carl Tamayo & of course Bennie Boatwright as our frontline moving forward. It's still uncertain whether QMB is FIBA eligible or not, we are going to find it out soon. If QMB is indeed FIBA eligible as he confidently claims to be, then we have a good replacement for Junmar (not to say Junmar & QMB play alike becoz they dont). While QMB doesn't have the strong post up moves of Junmar, I think QMB has the qualities of a big man more suited for the FIBA game becoz he seems to have the laterals & the quickness to defend the pick & roll (which Junmar had trouble dealing during his stints with Gilas).

I also hope that Mike Philipps would be given FIBA exemption. But that might not happen any soon. Maybe we'll have to wait 3 to 4 years from now for Philipps getting the exemption.

[IPC]

Yep, I dont have any worries in the Frontline for the Future

If anything, it is the guards who we need replacement

Newsome and Scottie are too old for the timeline.

Fortunately, Dwight is still om the same agw bracket.

But we will meed quality tall quality guards again.

Speaking of frontline of the future, the only concern we should have is the inevitable retirement from the national team of Junmar Fajardo who is now 35 yrs old. I expect that retirement would come either this year or next year. With Junmar's anticipated retirement, we will have Kai, AJ Edu, Carl Tamayo & of course Bennie Boatwright as our frontline moving forward. It's still uncertain whether QMB is FIBA eligible or not, we are going to find it out soon. If QMB is indeed FIBA eligible as he confidently claims to be, then we have a good replacement for Junmar (not to say Junmar & QMB play alike becoz they dont). While QMB doesn't have the strong post up moves of Junmar, I think QMB has the qualities of a big man more suited for the FIBA game becoz he seems to have the laterals & the quickness to defend the pick & roll (which Junmar had trouble dealing during his stints with Gilas).

I also hope that Mike Philipps would be given FIBA exemption. But that might not happen any soon. Maybe we'll have to wait 3 to 4 years from now for Philipps getting the exemption.

I have a concern to add regarding our frontline: interior defense. Interior defense is very valuable in international play. I posted earlier that our only proven interior defenders in the pool are Kai, AJ, Ange, and Japeth. AJ has had a history of injuries. Ange is a naturalized player. Japeth turns 38 this month. Now, Bennie Boatwright can rotate to shooters, but he's not much of an interior defender. I think Carl still has a ways to go on defense in the perimeter and preventing dribble penetration, although he is a good post defender, is tough, and has a fighter's mentality.

We will need a backup interior defender to prepare for Japeth's Gilas retirement. We better hope that QMB ends up being eligible, and that Mike and Ange are exempted. Hope Carl improves defensively as well. Otherwise, I hope we have a good perimeter defense and good perimeter defenders from 1 to 3 when Kai and AJ off the floor.

[Joe Yabuki]

On the guard side we potentially might have Gemao, Alas (hopefully he continues to improve and is unaffected by the ACL) and Padrigao to join up the ranks as Gilas probables. Well theres also RJ which is an eventuality since hes already in Cone's system. Didnt include Heading as hes in much further in age and is slightly younger than scotty

[mathematicianrcg]

On the guard side we potentially might have Gemao, Alas (hopefully he continues to improve and is unaffected by the ACL) and Padrigao to join up the ranks as Gilas probables. Well theres also RJ which is an eventuality since hes already in Cone's system. Didnt include Heading as hes in much further in age and is slightly younger than scotty

I also hope for Jacob Bayla and Femi Edu to improve as Lead Guards in the Future

[ccharmed]

Boatwright is best at 3. He will just be wasting gilas minutes at 4 and 5.

[IPC]

Boatwright is best at 3. He will just be wasting gilas minutes at 4 and 5.

I think we will need one of Kai/AJ/Japeth on the floor if Bennie's the 3, especially against good FIBA Asia teams. That, or a good defensive 4 that can prevent or stop rim pressure (can be AJ). We'll need both personnel and scheme on defense.

Sir lurklurk mentioned that Bennie's a solid team defender. After rewatching PBA clips, I will agree, and I take back my earlier comments about him being a defensive liability. I'm still concerned, though, that he's kind of limited to good team defender at best, based on the games I watched, unless Coach Tim can help him out more on the defensive end. Will his team defense be enough to prevent dribble penetration, especially when neither of Kai, AJ, and Japeth are on the floor?

[JAMSKIE]

Boatwright is best at 3. He will just be wasting gilas minutes at 4 and 5.

Do U think Boatwright has the laterals & the mobility do defend natural wings like RHJ of Jordan, or those small forwards of Lebanon, Iran, New Zealand, Japan?

[JAMSKIE]

I also hope for Jacob Bayla and Femi Edu to improve as Lead Guards in the Future

I've been longing to have natural shooting guards/off-guards standing 6-foot-4/6-foot-5 at Gilas. Right now we only have Dwight Ramos as a shooting guard standing at least 6-foot-4, but I feel it is not enough. Dapat at least 2 yung shooting guards sa Gilas of such height. I hope either Bayla or Femi Edu pans out as national team materials playing as a natural shooting guard/off guard.

Imagine having a 6-foot-4/6-foot-5 version of Chris Newsome or CJ Perez. That would be gravvy.

[Metta]

I think we will need one of Kai/AJ/Japeth on the floor if Bennie's the 3, especially against good FIBA Asia teams. That, or a good defensive 4 that can prevent or stop rim pressure (can be AJ). We'll need both personnel and scheme on defense.

Sir lurklurk mentioned that Bennie's a solid team defender. After rewatching PBA clips, I will agree, and I take back my earlier comments about him being a defensive liability. I'm still concerned, though, that he's kind of limited to good team defender at best, based on the games I watched, unless Coach Tim can help him out more on the defensive end. Will his team defense be enough to prevent dribble penetration, especially when neither of Kai, AJ, and Japeth are on the floor?

When I said that CTC might be onto something when he first used the Kai-JMF combo, almost everyone was doubtful it can work. But CTC made it work. Same thing by making an (inferior on paper) Brownlee as arguably our most effective/potent NP.

Now, when he says that Bennie can be a 3, I think CTC has earned the right to be given the benefit of the doubt.

Bennie was on a legit solid NBA trajectory before multiple injuries derailed him in college. A solid nba player at 80-90% is still at a level far beyond non-nba players.

[lurklurk]

Boatwright is best at 3. He will just be wasting gilas minutes at 4 and 5.

Certified ball-knower