Before we all get caught up with the big boys of the 2024 Paris Olympics, let's take note that there were some young kids playing basketball in Malaysia. The FIBA U18 SEABA Leg is the qualifier for the FIBA U18 Asia Championship that will be held in Amman, Jordan in September.
The Filipinos can safely say that we still dominate this region, while Indonesia is slowly rising with their own improved program. There were only four teams, and both Indonesia and the Philippines blew out the other two.
Some observations on the Philippines vs Indonesia game:
Our young Gilas boys have the advantage in individual talent, but admittedly, the gap is not as wide as we would like it to be. However, we do have Andy Gemao. The former Letran Squire was one of only 80 young players from all over the world invited to NBA's Basketball Without Borders. In this tournament, he showed us why.
Gemao's game is mature beyond his years, not just in talent and athleticism, but in the way he carries himself on the court. He has the confidence, even the swagger, but he has the talent to back it up. He has unusual perception and court sense, and even if he still grows, he should clearly be a point guard.
Indonesia's Growth
The Indonesians are no longer pushovers, even at this level. Their basketball program means business, and it was not just about having Lester Prosper and other naturalized players. While they are still not as talented and skilled as the Filipinos, they looked like the team with more set plays and preparation, at least on offense.
The big men of Indonesia looked slightly better than their Filipino counterparts simply because there were more set plays for them. The Reyes brand of basketball is consistent with coach Josh Reyes. In the 2023 World Cup, there were numerous instances of Gilas employing the "give the ball to Jordan Clarkson and see what he does" play.
In this edition, Gemao was the Jordan Clarkson, and Reyes was noticeably over reliant on him. It's a great thing that he truly was a superior playmaker, knowing when to pass, shoot, or take it to the rim. There weren't many plays designed for the bigs.
This could be a chicken or the egg type of argument. Did Reyes not design plays for the bigs as an adjustment to his roster's talent, or does he really not have it in his bag? The argument for the latter is Kai Sotto, who had a rough time with Chot Reyes, but shined with coach Tim Cone's Triangle Offense, even forming a combo with JuneMar Fajardo.
On the other hand, we see how a Reyes team struggles if they lose their primary playmaker in the recent FIBA World U17. I am fully aware that the level of competition is light years away from the SEABA, but the team seemed lost without KiefferAlas.
Here's hoping Alas can make it to September's FIBA Asia U18 so we can have the explosive Alas-Gemao backcourt. Perhaps they could also explore possible options for the big positions. Nonetheless, it's a youth game so while the primary goal should always be to win and qualify for the world stage, there's also a peek on which youngsters could blossom as legitimate senior men's team options.
Gap Has Been Broken
So the question of whether a UAAP team can beat a PBA team has been answered. Actually, if you take warm ups seriously, the Ateneo team in the pre-pandemic era has often beat MVP empire teams. Coach Tab Baldwin takes everything game seriously and wants to win, doesn't matter if it's a tune-up against professionals.
Of course, there were also numerous instances where Team USA lost to the USA Select teams from college. Not even the 1992 Dream Team was impervious to that. There were no videos, but a Select Team led by Chris Webber, Anfernee Hardaway, and Grant Hill beat the Dream Team, 62-54.
Apparently, Team USA coach Chuck Daly gave Michael Jordan limited minutes and allowed the loss. He supposedly wanted to teach the team not to underestimate their opponents.