AJ Edu, Kai Sotto spearhead tall Gilas youth roster for Fiba U19 World Cup

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines will send the trees and the bruisers in the 2019 Fiba Under 19 Basketball World Cup with twin towers AJ Edu and Kai Sotto spearheading the Gilas Youth in Greece.

Ateneo’s Sotto and Edu, who plays for University of Toledo, stand at 7-foot-2 and 6-foot-11, respectively, are seen as the pillars of the Philippines in its first appearance in the tournament since the 1979 World Championship for Junior Men.

The two towering centers, however, aren’t the only big men in the Philippines’ arsenal with Sotto’s Ateneo teammate Geo Chiu, who’s listed as 6-foot-8, and National University’s Carl Tamayo, who stands at 6-foot-7, are also in the fold.

Gilas Youth’s average height is 6-foot-4 with 5-foot-11 Gerry Abadiano the only member of the team who’s below six feet.

Rhayyan Amsali and James Spencer, who are both listed as 6-foot-4, enforce the wing spots for the Philippines while Terrence Fortea, Dalph Panopio, James Spencer, and Miguel Andre Oczon are also in the shooting guard and small forward positions.

Xyrus Torres and Dave Ildefonso, who are both listed at exactly six feet, are the team’s power forwards.

Gilas Youth is pooled together in Group C with host Greece, Argentina, and Russia.