RIGA (Latvia) - Dwight Ramos has been around the Philippine national team's program for four years now.
He was part of the team back in 2021 when Gilas couldn't make it beyond the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade.
He finished with zero minutes played. But now, he's part of his country's basketball history.
Firstly, beating a European national team 64 years after the last time it happened, then sweetly losing to Georgia to move to within two victories of the Olympic Games in Paris.
One of the most observed players of the Philippine young and future generation alongside Kai Sotto, the 25-year-old is enjoying the time of his life in Riga.
"It's a big thing. I'm not sure how long it's been since we've been in this position. I'm glad it's this team and we're feeling good. We've got to keep going," declared Ramos.
Georgia started the game 16-0, but Gilas didn't surrender. "I think we were being careful about having a slow start, but we still ended up having a slow start because we played yesterday.
"That's just the fight in our team, we just kept going. We knew what it took to get to the next round, we battled it until we got there", he shared about the squad's attitude.
Something really switched around this team.
He continued: "For the longest time, we always won the game that we should, and we always lost the games we shouldn't have won. But this time around, we're finally making strides, hanging tough with the teams, and beating teams we shouldn't."
"I think it's a great feeling, and the progress we've been making over the years, I'm glad to be a part of it from the beginning!"
His 16-point performance was crucial to keep Gilas hopes alive, but once again the TCL Player of the Game Award was handed to Justin Brownlee.
After destroying Latvia, he had 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in the matchup against Georgia.
"He's amazing, he's the best player I've ever played with. Just the heart, the effort, the way he plays. He's just the best," Ramos said about his teammate.
He also had time to down his hat off to Coach Tim Cone, who made this team more dangerous than ever.
He insisted: "He does a good job of having us play together, the team's chemistry is really there. We know our roles and we accepted them. That's why you see us playing better this year."
Like Ramos said himself, this is a completely different version of Gilas.
The Philippines could end up enjoying a run that might just take them all the way to this year's Olympic Games.
FIBA