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[av_heading heading=’Batang Gilas enlists 6-foot-9 center’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Thursday, January 12, 2017
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MANILA – Days after signing towering centers Ethan Kirkness and Kai Sotto, Batang Gilas continued to shore up its frontline by adding 6-foot-9 center Ariel John Edu.
Gilas Pilipinas team consultant and Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin said that, while Edu — a Filipino-Nigerian — is a huge boost to the national team, he still has a lot to learn.
“It would be foolish to burden this kid with high expectations,” Baldwin said. “I think he projects pretty well, and not just because of his size. But we have to keep in mind that he’s only 16.”
Meanwhile Edu looks forward to playing for the national team.
“I believe the future looks bright for Philippine basketball,” he said. “I’ve been playing basketball since I was 7. It was my dad who pushed me to continue playing.”
“Right now, I’ve developed my outside shooting, so I’ve become more of an inside-outside player when I play for (Batang) Gilas,” said Edu, whose mother, Josie, traces her roots from Surigao.
But Edu is not yet expected to take part in the Batang Gilas program until 2018 — he still has to finish high school in Bristol, England. He also looks forward to play college ball in the Philippines.
“I’ve seen competitions at the international level and masasabi kong height is might talaga,” said Batang Gilas team manager Andrew Teh. “But I’m excited about having these three players (Sotto, Kirkness and Edu) in the team.”/PN
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While the 6-foot-9 Ariel John Edu (above) “projects pretty well,” Gilas consultant Tab Baldwin says, “we have to keep in mind that he’s only 16.”
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