Philippines Senior National Team Thread Vol. V

[JAMSKIE]

If we have enough good interior defenders like Kai, AJ, and Japeth, and Ange, I think we can afford hugot in the 1-4 positions.

The problem is, after those four, the cupboard is bare. And Ange is a naturalized player.

Well, things will dramatically change if QMB is declared by FIBA as a legit Filipino local player. QMB seems to have an AJ Edu-level defensive skills, or at least close to that level. As I've said, QMB seems to have an impressive wingspan, is mobile for his height, & athletic as well (especially by Asian basketball standards).

[ARMIR]

Well, things will dramatically change if QMB is declared by FIBA as a legit Filipino local player. QMB seems to have an AJ Edu-level defensive skills, or at least close to that level. As I've said, QMB seems to have an impressive wingspan, is mobile for his height, & athletic as well (especially by Asian basketball standards).

Kinda like a player that Long Hair is looking for his SMC franchise teams.

[JAMSKIE]

Kinda like a player that Long Hair is looking for his SMC franchise teams.

In as much as I would love QMB to play pro basketball in Japan or in Europe, most likely he will end up with an SMC team in the PBA. Well, it is much better for QMB to end up in the PBA than seeing him playing in the MPBL.

[thatweirdguy]

In as much as I would love QMB to play pro basketball in Japan or in Europe, most likely he will end up with an SMC team in the PBA. Well, it is much better for QMB to end up in the PBA than seeing him playing in the MPBL.

I don't really buy the idea that he's really entertaining offers from them. More likely he's using them so they would offer him more $$ or under the table deals. Probably is affecting his GILAS stint too that's why we aren't getting the confirmation yet if he's eligible. They're being careful not to lose him to the other leagues. Just a guess. If he's really that good pay the man.

Remember when Bolick used to sign those short term deals with NP? When he under contract he was our starting PG and not even getting invite whenever they're trying to lock him in before being totally blacklisted when he left for Japan?

[deku_midoriya]

QMB can replace JF right now and Gilas wont lose much. The thing with him is he has already reached his ceiling. Cant be much better anymore. So the playing in Japan for development doesnt make sense. He is not good enough to play in big european leagues. So the PBA is his best and most logical option for pro basketball.

SMB can give him the money he wants. Why he is still not with Gilas is most probably becuase he is not hagop eligible. Lets wait til they fix this

[ARMIR]

In as much as I would love QMB to play pro basketball in Japan or in Europe, most likely he will end up with an SMC team in the PBA. Well, it is much better for QMB to end up in the PBA than seeing him playing in the MPBL.

I'm hoping that he would end up in the NBL,but that's just me wishful thinking.

[IPC]

Extra difficult to accept any victory for Gilas as they are blinded by their hate on SMC and Al Chua.
The same guys who always thought that the national team's success can be done without the PBA's involvement. Its really tearing them apart to be a Gilas supporter and giving props to the PBA and SMC for getting it right

Can you blame us for having that mindset on the PBA? We had a lot of underperforming PBA players and underperforming Gilas teams. And then Tab's amateur team beats SoKor twice. And then we got the silver in 2022 SEA Games with a rotation of 6 PBA players in the final game (where I think only June Mar and Wright had good performances from the PBA contingent). As for PBA players, the only consistently serviceable players I saw after 2016 were Castro, June Mar, Abueva, and Gabe. CJ and Bolick did well in FIBA too, but that was just the 2019 World Cup. Guys like Pogoy, Troy, and Wright underperformed. Then we see guys like Dwight, Carl, Heading, and Navarro do good in FIBA.

Now, after seeing good defensive performances from Scottie and Newsome, at least the PBA could provide quality. Japeth got rejuvenated. And I saw Oftana become serviceable at least as a defender. And credit to coach Tim for picking PBA players that are at least serviceable in FIBA. And even Chot's WC lineup had a good enough PBA contingent, the only one I disagreed with was Pogoy (who admittedly performed well in the November 2022 window and WC after performing badly in the SEA Games).

I wasn't in favor of Chua and SMC getting involved due to preference in players, and for fear of having a PBA-centric development plan (in lieu of having our kids developing abroad for a career in the States, Europe, or Aussie), but fair play to him for saying that he's open to kids and non-PBA players making the senior team.

As for the PBA now, it's just the schedule I'm worried about. Will we have enough time to rest and prepare for FIBA tournaments proper?

[hmbopbaduwap]

Off Topic: Our first ever medal at the Asian Winter Games. Congratulations Philippine Curling Team.

[IPC]

Now, Tim Cone has to realize the importance of defending the perimeter. At any given day, teams can get hot and shoot a bunch of threes. We were able to get away with New Zealand because Kai was there. They shoot threes all they want but they had a hard time to make a shot inside the paint - that mitigated the hot shooting of New Zealand. Without Kai, teams can get a couple more shots in the paint and get from deep.

And we scored in the paint with Kai to answer NZ's shooting as well as a good defensive stretch. The offensive rebounding helped too.

[C2Hamm]

Off Topic: Our first ever medal at the Asian Winter Games. Congratulations Philippine Curling Team.

congrats. i dont understand what they were talking about at the start. are they all from Europe?

[ARMIR]

QMB can replace JF right now and Gilas wont lose much. The thing with him is he has already reached his ceiling. Cant be much better anymore. So the playing in Japan for development doesnt make sense. He is not good enough to play in big european leagues. So the PBA is his best and most logical option for pro basketball.

SMB can give him the money he wants. Why he is still not with Gilas is most probably becuase he is not hagop eligible. Lets wait til they fix this

Looking at QMB's work,he looks like more a 4,probably can play 5 in short minutes,Gilas really need a real 5,that's why the clamor for AK34,with Kai and AJ will have recurring injuries,they need another steady big man,problem is if he goes local and play in the PBA,he definitely not gonna play for any SMC franchise teams,and that irritates Long Hair.

[thatweirdguy]

And we scored in the paint with Kai to answer NZ's shooting as well as a good defensive stretch. The offensive rebounding helped too.

I think many people forgot how much an improved Kai brings to the team. We could have won more games with him if was playing at the level he is now back when Chot is the coach.

Also TC's Ginebra guys are old and will start to show more now.

[BJ_Reloaded]

congrats. i dont understand what they were talking about at the start. are they all from Europe?

Sir C2,

those hafus are all Switzerland born

the good thing is Switzerland is considered as one of the top caliber as far as the discipline are concern.

and that's a good foundation moving forward considering that theirs a lot of young Swiss hafus and diaspora

that are taking up the sport alongside Alpine Skiing, Speedskating, Free-Style Skiing all Winter Olympic Sports.

in fact the Christian Haller is a 2-time World Junior medallist and the Pfister bros. are Olympic vets representing Switzerland

as per news the PH coach wife of one of the Pfister are now in the process of changing nationality to represent PHI in the

immediate future.

that Gold Medal achievement indeed created a domino effect to the hafu swiss community and expect more of them

to represent the country moving forward.

[Metta]

Can you blame us for having that mindset on the PBA? We had a lot of underperforming PBA players and underperforming Gilas teams. And then Tab's amateur team beats SoKor twice. And then we got the silver in 2022 SEA Games with a rotation of 6 PBA players in the final game (where I think only June Mar and Wright had good performances from the PBA contingent). As for PBA players, the only consistently serviceable players I saw after 2016 were Castro, June Mar, Abueva, and Gabe. CJ and Bolick did well in FIBA too, but that was just the 2019 World Cup. Guys like Pogoy, Troy, and Wright underperformed. Then we see guys like Dwight, Carl, Heading, and Navarro do good in FIBA.

Now, after seeing good defensive performances from Scottie and Newsome, at least the PBA could provide quality. Japeth got rejuvenated. And I saw Oftana become serviceable at least as a defender. And credit to coach Tim for picking PBA players that are at least serviceable in FIBA. And even Chot's WC lineup had a good enough PBA contingent, the only one I disagreed with was Pogoy (who admittedly performed well in the November 2022 window and WC after performing badly in the SEA Games).

I wasn't in favor of Chua and SMC getting involved due to preference in players, and for fear of having a PBA-centric development plan (in lieu of having our kids developing abroad for a career in the States, Europe, or Aussie), but fair play to him for saying that he's open to kids and non-PBA players making the senior team.

As for the PBA now, it's just the schedule I'm worried about. Will we have enough time to rest and prepare for FIBA tournaments proper?

Fair points. I also hated how the PBA has been uncooperative (bordering on sabotage) and always used a hastily assembled and prepared NT. I've always believed that the long-term approach of coach Tab's version was our best bet and was so disappointed when it blew up.

It was also worrying that the golden generation that I believe we potentially had was going to be wasted.

Then, CTC's version popped up. It's far from ideal...but ideal is impossible in our country. Given the conditions that has to be navigated...politics, drama, etc...it still somehow has some of the elements that I think is essential. A long-term system approach and the use of our young potential golden generation players. Then it started getting impressive wins. And on top of that, the pearl of the generation which is Kai, was unlocked by the system. It masks his deficiencies and enhances his advantages (including our lack of shooters and trad PGs with size/defense). Suddenly, there's a realistic upward trajectory.

An important key point here is also...what are the alternatives, what team/coach is a better option. One that could work in our unideal environment. Transport to the time when Tab's program just blew up...things looked gloomy with no viable option in sight.

[Metta]

I think many people forgot how much an improved Kai brings to the team. We could have won more games with him if was playing at the level he is now back when Chot is the coach.

Also TC's Ginebra guys are old and will start to show more now.

I think the system was key in unlocking Kai. His advantage (length) combined with that of JMF (strength) gave us a world class frontcourt. Any other system would have had a hard time making that duo play together, in fact everyone doubted it.

It masks Kai's weaknesses especially on defense...one of which is the versatile perimeter defense of Dwight, Newsome and Scottie. They cover a lot of ground helping the lumbering duo. But none is a trad PG (needed by most other systems) because it isn't needed. The defensive balance on the floor and reliance on chemistry/team defense also masks the slow defenders.

One strength of Kai that is also unleashed is his BBIQ. He's able to read over the defense and make great short passes off other guys movement and he doesn't have to dribble to make assists and knock down short jumpers to keep defenses honest. Not possible in DDO and maybe even pace and space.