Categories: PhilippinesSports

Gilas Represent: Juan GDL as one of the Top Performers on FIBA

In the midst of pandemics, Filipino players continue to shine in the field of basketball. In the second window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, the youthful Gilas Pilipinas lineup was tried and checked in the glare of the international scene. The 15-man pool of collegiate and fresh-out-of-college stars, while lacking in expertise and adequate training, had little fear of going up against older and more seasoned opponents and trampled Thailand twice in blow-out affairs.

At least in the eyes of head coach Jong Uichico, this dominant success offered the young people a huge opportunity to compete for upcoming tournaments for roster spots with professional ballers. In their game against an all-professional, more experienced Thailand team, the Gilas squad in Bahrain, headed by UP’s Gomez de Liano twins, Kobe Paras, and Ateneo’s Dwight Ramos and Dave Ildefonso, showed flashes of brilliance.

On view of this, Gilas Pilipinas smashed the Thais by a combined 54-point differential in their two outings, leaving little or no question about their potential to represent the nation on the big stage. This time coming February, vying with the PBA pros for a spot on the team, with the PBA bubble already locked up for a long time by then the young Gilas cagers would need to take it up another level.

The Gilas Pilipinas squad in Manama, Bahrain is young and inexperienced for the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. But if anybody doubted their worth in banning the country on the international level, those questions were blown away by two thrashings by Thailand in a sweep of their matches. The recruitment of Juan Gomez de Liano to FIBA’s best performers in the Qualifier bubbles brings even more to the accolades of the all-cadet team.

In both the Bahrain and Qatar bubbles, the star guard from the University of the Philippines made it to the federation’s top five performers list. On the other hand, outings against Thailand, Gomez de Liano had a balanced performance, his second consecutive call-up in the Asia Cup qualifiers, he posted the standards for 13 points per game to go along with 3.5 dimes.

While his performances were overshadowed in Gilas’ first and second game, respectively, by Ateneo’s Dwight Ramos and his brother Javi, FIBA pointed to his timely shots that were crucial to Gilas’ victories.

Morever, Gomez de Liano is joined on the federation’s list by Mohammed Alsuwailem from Saudi Arabia, Trey Kell III from Syria, Mohamed Kawaid from Bahrain and Wael Akraji from Lebanon.

Jasmine C.

Mabuhay! An upcoming Newswriter for the Asian Affairs from the Pearl of the Orient - Philippines. Avid follower of celebrity gossips, fashion news. I got into writing so that my fellow Kababayan will be constantly updated with the latest news.

View Comments

Recent Posts

China and UAE Celebrate 40 Years of Diplomatic Relations: All the Sectors for Partnership

Celebrating 40 years of diplomatic ties, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are poised to fortify an alliance that…

November 2, 2024

What’s in Store for Squid Game Season 2: New Twists, International Adaptations, and a Bold Return to the Games

Fans of the worldwide sensation Squid Game have much to look forward to this December as the show's producer, Hwang…

November 2, 2024

TWICE Joins Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ Tour for a Seoul Spectacle in 2025

Especially when it's the internationally known British rock band Coldplay linking up with K-pop phenomenon TWICE, few events match the…

November 2, 2024

China Caught in the Crossfire: Tensions Rise as North Korea and Russia Strengthen Alliance

Tucked on a 12-story structure in northeast China, visitors flock to get a rare view of the junction of their…

November 2, 2024

Could Westeros Dragons Soon Soar into the Big Screen? ‘Game of Thrones’ Film Reportedly in Early Development

HBO's Game of Thrones has created a void in the fantasy world of television that no other show has quite…

November 1, 2024

Preparing for U.S. Election Impact: Sen. Imee Marcos Urges Self-Reliant Defense Amid Uncertain Times

Head of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Imee Marcos underlined the need of the Philippines getting ready for…

November 1, 2024

This website uses cookies.

Read More