THE men’s national basketball team will leave its door open for Dwight Ramos, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) program director Tab Baldwin.
But there’s a condition.
“That’s very great to hear,” said Baldwin, referring to Ramos’s declaration that his priority will always be Gilas Pilipinas. “But for now, it just comes down to the fit, how well we fit given the time that he has to be with us. I don’t have the answer to that until I see the time.”
The 6-foot-3 Ramos, who played a decisive role in the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers, signed with the Toyama Grouses in the Japanese B.League. He is the eighth Filipino to bring his act to Japan, where basketball is alive and kicking amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the pay is much better.
The 23-year-old Ramos’s decision to turn pro in Japan also automatically forfeits his eligibility to play for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, which has yet to return after two years of inactivity.
“Certainly a loss for Ateneo, it’s difficult, but he’s not the first. It’s the next man up for us, but the reality is Dwight never played for Ateneo,” Baldwin said. “You can’t really miss what you don’t really have right? For Ateneo, that’s how we look at it.”
“I think Dwight decided to play in Japan because of the Covid-19 situation in the country,” Baldwin said, stressing Filipino collegiate basketball players have become “sitting idols” for the last two years because the government still prohibits holding amateur leagues.
Before Ramos, seven other Filipinos decided to play in Japan. They were Thirdy Ravena (San-En NeoPhoenix), his older brother Kiefer Ravena (Shiga Lakestars), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins), Kobe Paras (Niigata Albirex BB) and brothers Javi (Ibaraki Robots) in Division 1 and Juan Gomez de Liaño (Earth Tokyo Z) and Kenmark Cariño (Aomori Wat) in the Division 2 of the same league.
Baldwin said that if ever Ramos rejoins Gilas, it won’t be difficult for him to adjust to the system.
“He’s no longer a ‘first timer’ because he already knows the system and the culture,” Baldwin said. “He is not lost to Gilas. We can invite him again because of the Fiba clause on his contract, but it depends on the amount of time he’ll be with us.”
“I hope the time given to them would be enough so we can welcome them with open arms,” Baldwin added.
Ramos attracted Japanese scouts with his averages of 13.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in helping lead the Philippines to a 6-0 sweep of Group A in the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers.