Level of play in B.League 'just keeps on improving,' says Dwight Ramos

Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Gilas Pilipinas guard Dwight Ramos in action against China during the FIBA 2023 World Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on September 2, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/09/20/20230902-fiba-gilas-pilipinas-china-jc-10.jpg' ><figcaption>Gilas Pilipinas guard Dwight Ramos in action against China during the FIBA 2023 World Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on September 2, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — “I wish we won more games, but at least we won one game.” This was one of Dwight Ramos’ hopes when asked what Gilas Pilipinas could’ve done in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.After failing to emerge as the best-ranked Asian team at the end of the tournament, the Filipino hoopers got a spot at a FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year -- making it much harder for the Philippines to book a ticket to next year’s Paris Games.Still, the 6-foot-4 wingman found solace in the fact that of all Asian squads, it was Japan -- the country where he is playing professionally -- that got the lone Olympic spot for the continent. “Of course, I was hoping that I could’ve been in the Olympics,” Ramos bared during Levanga Hokkaido’s press conference on Wednesday.“But I was glad that if it wasn’t the Philippines, it was Japan, because I’ve seen for three years now how the level of play just keeps on improving here.”Japan will return to the Olympics for the second straight time, their first since the 1972 and 1976 editions of the games, and the Filipino-American said that this is a testament to the quality of play in the B.League.“The league is so good, that’s why the Japanese national team just keeps on improving,” he said.“Every year, they just keep on getting better.”For the Philippines, they will have to go through the eye of a needle if they want to head to next year’s games, as they will be going head-to-head with some of the world's toughest teams at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/12/23/gilas-23-others-vie-for-last-four-olympic-spots'>FIBA: Gilas, Dominican Republic, 22 others vie for last four Olympic spots</a></li></ul>But Ramos is still hoping that the Filipinos can replicate Japan’s success in the near future.“It’s really a nice thing to see they went to the Olympics. They really deserve it. They play the right way,” he said of the Akatsuki Five.“I’m hoping that the Philippines can [also] get there one day.” RELATED VIDEO<figure class='op-interactive'><iframe height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hnbM-e_-H-E?enablejsapi=1' width='560'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more News on <a href='https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></div>

Still, the 6-foot-4 wingman found solace in the fact that of all Asian squads, it was Japan -- the country where he is playing professionally -- that got the lone Olympic spot for the continent. “Of course, I was hoping that I could’ve been in the Olympics,” Ramos bared during Levanga Hokkaido’s press conference on Wednesday.“But I was glad that if it wasn’t the Philippines, it was Japan, because I’ve seen for three years now how the level of play just keeps on improving here.”Japan will return to the Olympics for the second straight time, their first since the 1972 and 1976 editions of the games, and the Filipino-American said that this is a testament to the quality of play in the B.League.“The league is so good, that’s why the Japanese national team just keeps on improving,” he said.“Every year, they just keep on getting better.”For the Philippines, they will have to go through the eye of a needle if they want to head to next year’s games, as they will be going head-to-head with some of the world's toughest teams at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/12/23/gilas-23-others-vie-for-last-four-olympic-spots'>FIBA: Gilas, Dominican Republic, 22 others vie for last four Olympic spots</a></li></ul>But Ramos is still hoping that the Filipinos can replicate Japan’s success in the near future.“It’s really a nice thing to see they went to the Olympics. They really deserve it. They play the right way,” he said of the Akatsuki Five.“I’m hoping that the Philippines can [also] get there one day.” RELATED VIDEO<figure class='op-interactive'><iframe height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hnbM-e_-H-E?enablejsapi=1' width='560'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more News on <a href='https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></div>

This was one of Dwight Ramos’ hopes when asked what Gilas Pilipinas could’ve done in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.After failing to emerge as the best-ranked Asian team at the end of the tournament, the Filipino hoopers got a spot at a FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year -- making it much harder for the Philippines to book a ticket to next year’s Paris Games.

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Gilas Pilipinas guard Dwight Ramos in action against China during the FIBA 2023 World Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on September 2, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/09/20/20230902-fiba-gilas-pilipinas-china-jc-10.jpg' ><figcaption>Gilas Pilipinas guard Dwight Ramos in action against China during the FIBA 2023 World Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on September 2, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — “I wish we won more games, but at least we won one game.”

Dwight Ramos gives the B.League plenty of credit for the improvement of the Japanese men's national basketball team. 

Level of play in B.League 'just keeps on improving,' says Dwight Ramos | ABS-CBN News

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Level of play in B.League 'just keeps on improving,' says Dwight Ramos

Level of play in B.League 'just keeps on improving,' says Dwight Ramos