For someone who was born and raised in Rome, Dalph Panopio is every bit Filipino.
In a chit chat with ESPN5 after Batang Gilas practice on Saturday, the newbie spoke in straight Filipino. He was eloquent in the vernacular of his father and mother, who trace their roots to Batangas and Oriental Mindoro, respectively.
Well, it was understandable. After all, most of his relatives are living in the historic city famous for the Colosseum.
Perhaps the only thing about him that's not Filipino is his style of play. Panopio, who arrived in the Philippines on July 7, is still adjusting to the brand of basketball in the Philippines, which is widely regarded as more physical compared to other countries.
"It's different here," he said in Filipino after the practice facilitated by coach Josh Reyes at the PhilSports Arena on Saturday. "It's more physical. But I want to experience this so I can be of help to the national team."
Panopio is a player beyond his years. At 18, he has collected individual accolades playing for Stellazzura Basketball Academy, which linked him to the Batang Gilas program.
The 6-foot-1 point guard was even supposed to play for the youth team of Italy. But he preferred to suit up for the country of his parents. Panopio is doing everything in his power to be of help for the Philippine team set to lock horns in the FIBA U18 Asian Championship in Thailand, which will serve as qualifier for the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup.
He will team up with the likes of Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, and Gerry Abadian in the tournament which starts on August 5.
"It's my first time here. I'm really excited for the FIBA. We hope we'll win against strong teams like China," he said.
Batang Gilas is grouped with China, Lebanon, and United Arab Emirates. The top four teams which will emerge from the league will represent the region on the world stage.