The Smart Gilas Pilipinas basketball team braces itself for a tough grind in 2010 as part of its buildup for the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, and in the long run, the Olympic-qualifying FIBA Asia Championships in 2011.
For starters, the Gilas cagers of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman are set to challenge taller and stronger dribblers from the Middle East – Asia’s new basketball powerhouse – from Jan. 7-24.
Doha will be the team’s first stop, where they will play the Qatari national team, followed by a trip to Kuwait for a tune-up with the Kuwaiti national squad and finally a stint in Dubai for the 21st Dubai Invitational tournament against strong teams from Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Iran and the UAE.
"Next year, our program will be much more difficult, we’ll be playing more (international) games and I think this team will grow," Toroman said during a visit to GMA Network, the team’s media partner for the Middle East foray.
Toroman and his players, led by team captain Chris Tiu and UAAP most valuable player (MVP) Dylan Ababou, along with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) officials Rico Meneses and Perry Martinez, paid a courtesy call to GMA Network, Inc. chairman, president and CEO Felipe L. Gozon and EVP and COO Gilberto R. Duavit on Monday.
Under the partnership, GMA will cover Gilas’ Middle East activities and air a special on GMA’s PinoyTV.
"We fully support the national team, financially, morally and spiritually because we need to have athletes who will represent the country and win. And basketball is the national sport," said Gozon, who warmly welcomed the team that is tasked to bring the Philippines back into the Olympics by 2012.
For his part, Duavit said the coverage of Gilas intends to “create a lot of interest in terms of what the national team is doing" especially among OFWs in the places that they will be visiting.
Toroman, who had previously piloted the Iranian national team to the FIBA Asia title and a spot to the 2008 Beijing Olympiad, said the Middle East slate is no vacation for his young wards.
"All these teams (in the Dubai tournament) are very, very strong. They have lots of national players plus two Americans. It will be a challenge for our young team," he said.
After their 17-day Middle East campaign, Gilas will go to Australia, then Toroman’s home country, Serbia, and Las Vegas for more tune-up matches. Next, they will don the country’s colors in the FIBA Champions Cup in Qatar in May and the Jones Cup in Taiwan in July. Their last major assignment for the year will be the Guangzhou Asian Games in November, where they will take over the task usually given to the pros.
"The next six months are crucial. We’ll have tough games as we’re touring the world. But I think we’ll be competitive. The Jones Cup in July will be the real test if we’re ready for the Asian Games," Toroman said.
The Gilas pool has been together for most of the year, learning the “European style" of basketball (more on team play rather than one-on-one patterns) that proved successful in Toroman’s stint with Iran.
"Malaki ang potential ng program na ito," said Tiu, one of the 15 amateur players bind to be with the team from 2009 all the way to 2011 and possibly 2012, should they win the FIBA Asia tilt and make it to the London Games. “The players are made up of the best of the best. It’s just a matter of playing together. It looks to me we can achieve our goal."
And one of the ways to do this is to take the same route as the Asian champion Iranians.
"We want to play as much (international) games, the same as what I did with Iran (in 2007). Back then, we played 35 games in four months in preparation for FIBA Asia. I want to do the same for the Philippines," said Toroman, who took over the RP pool program this year.
Under Toroman, Gilas played tune-up matches in Las Vegas, Serbia, and performed creditably in the import-flavored FIBA Champion’s Cup this year. A stint as guest team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) also helped the nationals handle tough games.
"(Overall) we’ve made some good results (in our first year) but we’re still in the process of learning," Toroman said. – Olmin R. Leyba/JVP, GMANews.TV
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