FIBA Basketball

Chot Reyes fills up Chooks-to-Go roster with youth

MANILA (FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017) - They took some time, but the Chooks-to-Go Philippines squad finally named the players they will bring to Chenzhou for the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017.

FIBA Asia Champions Cup September 22-30, 2017 (Chenzhou, China) Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas games: September 22, 2017 - vs Astana (KAZ) September 23, 2017 - vs Sareyyet Ramallah (PLE) September 24, 2017 - vs Mono Vampire (THA) September 26, 2017 - vs Petrochimi (IRI) ROSTER: Kiefer Ravena, Carl Cruz, Almond Vosotros, Raymar Jose, LA Revilla, Norbert Torres, Jett Manuel, Jeron Teng, Jeric Teng, Francis Tamsi, Rodrigue Ebondo, Isaiah Austin, Andre Paras, Gab Banal Head Coach: Chot Reyes LABAN PILIPINAS! 📷 PBAonTV5

A post shared by Gilas Pilipinas Army (@gilasarmy) on Sep 19, 2017 at 12:06am PDT

It is a young crew that coach Chot Reyes is bringing to Asia's top international club tournament, but there are some here who may end up as household names in Philippine basketball sooner rather than later.

Chooks-to-Go Philippines 12-man roster for FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017
Isaiah Austin	Carl Bryan Cruz	Rod Ebondo	Raymar Jose
Jett Manuel	Kiefer Ravena	Alfrancis Tamsi	Jeric Teng
Jeron Teng	Norbert Torres	Almond Vosotros	LA Revilla

Leading the pack is the wildly popular Kiefer Ravena, who has made waves for the Philippines national team in many a SEABA competition, but he has yet to play a minute in senior level FIBA Asia play. Many are expecting the man nicknamed "The Phenom" to turn a lot of heads in Chenzhou. Alongside him are current and former PBA players like Almond Vosotros, Carl Bryan Cruz, LA Revilla, Jeric Teng and Norbert Torres.

Ravena, Austin banner Chooks-to-Go squad in FIBA Asia Champions Cup https://t.co/3CkVWd3qlL | @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/DmMXm0H7hC
— Philstar Sports Hub (@StarSportsHub) September 19, 2017

ASEAN Basketball League veteran Raymar Jose also made the roster together with former collegiate standouts Jeron Teng, Jett Manuel and Alfrancis Tamsi.

Electrifying high-flyer Kobe Paras was not cleared to play for the team by his US school, but older brother Andre Paras is on the reserve list.

Reyes has listed NBA draft pick Isaiah Austin and Congolese Rod Ebondo as the team's foreign players. Austin is a 2.16m beanpole who is known for his length, athleticism and outside shooting, while Ebondo is a tough and hard working 1.87m forward who loves mixing it up in the paint.

7'1" Isaiah Austin powers Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas in Champions Cup » https://t.co/A1jyMt1hNP pic.twitter.com/LSXyytC3H7
— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) September 19, 2017

Chooks-to-Go were drawn into Group A together with Kazakhstan's BC Astana, Iran's Petrochimi, Thailand's Mono Vampire and Sareyyet Ramallah from Palestine. Defending champions China Kashgar are in Group B together with squads from the United Arab Emirates, India, Lebanon and Chinese Taipei. The top four teams in each group will move on to the knockout Quarter-Finals, where the victors will advance to the Semi-Finals. The winners in the Semi-Finals will dispute the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017 crown in the Final.

FIBA