Quadruple tower shapes up for Gilas Pilipinas in 2023 World Cup
MANILA, Philippines -- A quadruple tower is shaping up for the Philippines in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Never seen before, these giants are youngsters Kai Sotto, Sage Tolentino, AJ Edu and, of course, June Mar Fajardo.
The 7-foot-2 Sotto, 6-10 Edu and 6-10 Fajardo are virtual shoo-ins, while the 7-foot Tolentino is a prime prospect for Gilas Pilipinas.
Sotto will be 21 by then, Edu 23, and Fajardo 33. Tolentino, a prized find from Hawaii, will be 19 and likely even taller.
Already bound for the NBA G League, Sotto may be in the main league by then.
Edu, who's recovering from an ACL injury he sustained in the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, would have finished his US NCAA stint with University of Toledo and may also be in the NBA.
With plenty of time to rehabilitate from a shin injury he suffered in February, Fajardo, holder of a record six straight PBA MVP awards, will provide the muscle and will be the steadying force for the Filipinos underneath.
Tolentino, who powered Maryknoll High School in Honolulu to two straight state championships, would either be in the NCAA or the G League to trace Sotto's footsteps.
This early, Tolentino has taken Sotto's direction.
Tolentino's family and Sotto's family hooked up in a Father's Day get-together hosted by East West Private recently and Tolentino has joined Sotto's specialized training with The Skills Factory in Atlanta.
Like Sotto, Tolentino could also play for Gilas Pilipinas Youth first to test his readiness for men's action.
And if he progresses fast, Tolentino would complete the solid base needed for a highly competitive Philippine team three years hence.
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