Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin echoed the high praises Indonesia mentor Rajko Toroman gave to Dwight Ramos following the Filipino cagers' campaign in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Baldwin said Ramos, who was described by the former Gilas coach Toroman as someone who plays like a European player, has the talent and potential to excel at a higher level especially now that he’s being tasked to play the point.
“I think he feels the game really well,” Baldwin said of the 6-foot-4 Ramos. “He sees the floor very well, he’s got good size and strength to be able to play in a physical, competitive competition like European basketball.
“Certainly, we don’t know Dwight’s future yet, but I think this is a young man that can play at a higher level and pretty much anywhere in the world.”
The 22-year-old averaged 15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.3 steals in three games of the third and final window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers with his consistent showing as the team’s starting playmaker.
But the good-looking Ramos insists on looking for improvements as Gilas sets its focus on the tough competition in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia next week and the FIBA Asia Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia in mid-August.
Among those in particular is the task given to him by Baldwin to take a more active role in leading the team.
“Thinking ahead, I wanna listen, I wanna be a better leader, I wanna be more vocal out there on the floor kinda guiding the teammates because I know a little bit about what Coach Tab wants from us,” Ramos said.
“I just think I need to relay that message from Coach Tab to the rest of the team more smoothly,” he added.