Sotto, Tamayo lead Batang Gilas Final 12
Game Tomorrow (Newell’s Old Boys Stadium) 4:30 a.m. – Croatia vs Batang Gilas
Ateneo center Kai Zachary Sotto and National University counterpart Carl Tamayo will form a towering frontline for Batang Gilas which is aiming to make some noise in the FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup in Argentina. The 7-foot-1 Sotto, the reigning FIBA Asian U-16 Best Center, and the 6-foot-7 Tamayo are expected to serve as the pillar of strength down low for the Nationals, who will open their ambitious title bid in a stacked Group D against world No. 10 Croatia tomorrow at the Newell’s Old Boys Stadium in Rosario, Argentina.
The 12-strong unit won’t run out of the needed size as Batang Gilas coach Mike Oliver has also included De La Salle Zobel’s 6-foot-7 center Raven Cortez, 6-foot-5 Yukien Andrada of San Beda-Taytay and Sotto’s fellow Blue Eaglet, 6-foot-8 Geo Chiu, forming arguably the tallest national U-17 team ever.
Crafty Bullpups guard Gerry Abadiano has also been tapped to bolster the Batang Gilas’ already potent backcourt composed of fellow NU standout Terrence Fortea, Ateneo’s Forthsky Padrigao, and La Salle-Greenhills gunner RC Calimag.
Lyceum ace Mac Guadaña, La Salle-Zobel’s Migs Pascual and another Red Cub standout, Joshua Lazaro, made it to the final cut, leaving the likes of University of Santo Tomas’ Bismarck Lina, Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu’s King Balaga, Jorick Bautista and Rafael Go as reserves.