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The Thirsty Youth


Remember Batang Gilas? Well, they're now called "Gilas Youth." And boy, they're up for some thirst-quenching journey come FIBA-U19 World Cup in Greece.

These young men who had rousing introductions to the Asian spotlights (as well as to the FIBA Under 17 World Cup) are all the more thirsty like an arid land that needs inundation and cultivation in their continuing quest for an unimpeded growth. They dribble and drool for improvement, much-needed exposure and above all an honest burning desire to repping the Philippines. Hail to these young and courageous patriots who in all honesty are the true hopes of Philippine basketball—the genuine faces of the young Filipinos

Our Gilas Senior team are going to this year's FIBA World Cup in China. However the energy doesn't seem to manifest momentarily. The local hoops scene is way too busy so that they won't lock-in themselves into it just yetuntil perhaps ten days or so prior to the World's biggest basketball stage.

BUT these young men's very promising basketball journey is starting to unfold. And we pin our hopes on them. We look up high to Kai—way above the sky! AJ Edu who's not only one of the program's strongest linkshe wears a Game-KNB-face the moment he steps on the court. Sean Ildefonso's potential cannot just reach a tremendous ceiling but his DNA tells us that he could raise the roof as well! How about the smarts of Dalph Panopio? Yuduheleheho! May this continue to rub off our local young point guards thereby setting a world standard among our youngins. And it would be like further dehydrating them if we do not mention the rest of our under-19 pool. How about we give to these young men our snappy fist-bumps: Torres, Abadiano, Lina, Chiu, Tamayo, Amsali, Ramirez, Oczon, Fortea and Spencer. 

This fountain of youth is filled with promise as well as very high—and exceedingly TALLexpectations. But we can't blame ourselves if we look at them this way. As they are like an oasis overflowing with God-given physical gifts. Their talents and skills all below 20 years of age as of the moment can simply give the pros a run for their money!

The thirsty youth however mirrors a nation's aspirations, quest for patriotic fervor, and a world-class reputation. The OG Jose Rizal can never go wrong when he said: "The Youth is the hope of our future."

... follow @labapilipinas on twitter for some sports laundering!

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