Dwight Ramos has plenty to smile about these days.
On Sunday, his long-time partner Kianna Dy captured her first-ever Premier Volleyball League championship.
The past two years had been a struggle for the 5-foot-10 outside hitter as she battled to recover from a grueling knee injury.
“Yeah, I’m just very happy for her and the team,” Ramos told Tiebreaker Times after PLDT’s epic five-set victory over Chery Tiggo to claim the PVL On Tour title.
“PLDT, you know, this is our first time in the finals and our first championship, so it’s a really good feeling for her.”
Ramos also has another reason to smile: Gilas Men recently received an added reinforcement just in time for the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
Last Friday, Quentin Millora-Brown received FIBA clearance to play as a local for the Philippines. Initially classified as a naturalized player, Millora-Brown’s status was reversed after an appeal, paving the way for his inclusion in the national team.
The timing couldn’t have been better. The FIBA Asia Cup 2025 exposed Gilas’ need for another big man to support AJ Edu, as both June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar struggled against the new generation of Asian bigs.
Now, Ramos is eager to train alongside the 6-foot-10 Millora-Brown.
“He’s another big man, and he’s pretty skilled. I’m looking forward to seeing him at practice,” said Ramos, who averaged 16.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in the Asia Cup.
Gilas faces tough matches over the next six qualifying windows. After a home-and-away series against Guam in November, the national team will take on the Australia Boomers and New Zealand Tall Blacks — two of the continent’s most formidable sides.
“I think it’s great,” Ramos said. “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to play against the best, so I’m glad we’re in a pool with Australia and New Zealand.”
For now, Ramos will head to Hokkaido to begin training for the B.League season. His club, Levanga, has just reloaded for 2025-26, adding two of the season’s top signings in Keisei Tominaga and Jahlil Okafor.
It’s definitely a good time to be Dwight Ramos.
#WATCH: Dwight Ramos beams with pride as Kianna Dy’s long road to recovery ends in glory with the #PVLonTour crown 🏐
🎥 @justinvalencia_ /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/gOObJgNXuE
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) August 17, 2025
