Expect Dwight Ramos to be ready for Gilas Pilipinas duties come July.
Ramos shared during the B.League Final Week at SM Megamall on Thursday that he’ll be flying to the U.S. soon to train, with the goal of getting better for Gilas Pilipinas’s July window. And for the 6-foot-4 guard-forward, players getting better individually is one of the keys to elevating the national team to greater heights.
“As the players improve, our team gets better,” Ramos told the media. “For me, I just took a little break after the season, but I’ll start working out [soon]. I’ll go to the States and train, and by the time I come back, I’ll be Gilas-ready.”
Gilas Pilipinas will open their third window on July 3 against New Zealand.
Dwight Ramos, Ever Reliable
Throughout his stints with Gilas Pilipinas, Dwight Ramos has already proven to be one of the national team’s best players, constantly producing offensively and excelling even on defense. In the ongoing FIBA World Cup qualifiers, in particular, Ramos is norming 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across four games.
Overall, in his FIBA career for Gilas Pilipinas, Ramos has averaged 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 38 games across seven different tournaments—including the 2023 FIBA World Cup held here in the Philippines. There, the 27-year-old averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists against some of the world’s best.
With the powerhouse Oceania duo of New Zealand and Australia up next, Gilas Pilipinas could sure use an even better Dwight Ramos.
Elevating Gilas
Moving forward, Dwight Ramos is banking on two things for the national team: familiarity and players getting better individually.
“We’re going into the next window knowing what everyone’s going to bring,” Ramos said. “We know what each player is going to bring because we’ve been together for a long time, and if somebody’s improving, it only brings the team higher.”
Chemistry and familiarity won’t be an issue for sure. And with other players like Kevin Quiambao, Quentin Millora-Brown, and Carl Tamayo still getting better, maybe Ramos’s confidence is well placed.
However, whether that’s enough to see Gilas Pilipinas through the third window and beyond is another matter altogether.
