FIBA Asia's Five Best Shooting Guards

MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on My Mind) - Asia has produced myriad elite shooting guards over the decades and based on the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers, there won't be any shortage of promising talents at this position in the future.

In this edition of my column, I'll take a look at the five most productive shooting guards after the first window. Take note that not all of these players are "strictly" shooters or guards, especially when it comes to how they play in their own local leagues, but in the context of their respective national teams, the two spot is where we'll find them.

Elie Chamoun (Lebanon)

26.0 points, 6.0 three-pointers, 75.0 FG%.
Yes, Chamoun saw action in just one Qualifiers game, but he certainly made his presence felt, hitting all but one of his three-point shots as Lebanon routed Bahrain. The 25-year-old tallied 26 points in just 23 minutes of play, which was an unmistakable picture of efficiency.

Thirdy Ravena (Philippines)

23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 blocks, 3.0 three-pointers.
Fresh out of university, Ravena made quite the impression in his first Qualifiers appearance, dropping 23 points as the Philippines drubbed Indonesia for their first win. The 23-year-old high-flyer is expected to be a central figure for the Filipinos' FIBA Asia Cup 2021 push, so we're sure to see much more of him when the next windows commence.

 

Reuben Te Rangi (New Zealand)

19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 4.5 three-pointers, 60.9 FG%.
Te Rangi's 21-point performance against Australia was an important factor in that monumental win for the Tall Blacks, and he followed that up with another impressive 17-point showing against overmatched Guam. Te Rangi's size makes him a mismatch at the guard spot for most other FIBA Asia teams, and he will definitely continue to play a big role for the Kiwis moving forward.

Tyler Lamb (Thailand)

28.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 4.0 three-pointers.
This Thai-American wingman exploded for 28 points against elite East Asia team Korea, and even if that wasn't nearly enough for them to pull off an upset, Lamb still served notice that he's one guy nobody can write off. Whether he can carry the Thais into the Asia Cup all by his lonesome, however, is a question that can only be answered by the next assignments of the national team.

CJ Perez (Philippines)

11.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 3.0 assists.
This 6ft 2in/1.88m guard was a blitz for the Filipinos in last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup, and he continued to be a handful for their foes in the Asia Cup Qualifiers. Perez's speed and savvy make him such a tough mark for any defender, and he can also hurt opponents on defense with his quick hands and rebounding ability.

Honorable Mention

RR Pogoy (Philippines) - 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 three-pointers, 63.6 FG%.

Cam Gliddon (Australia) - 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 three-pointers, 61.1 FG%.

Mohammad Jamshidi (Iran) - 15.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 three-pointers.

Enzo Flojo

FIBA

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