Tough task awaits Gilas

Seaba a walk in the park, but Wuhan isn’t even close

THE title is the icing on the cake. Work in Jakarta was practically done when a place in the top three in the four-nation event was secured.

That was days ago, and now the nine-man Philippine national basketball team hopes to heal quickly and get the needed reinforcement as they brace for the tough job ahead—the Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship in Wuhan, China.

The Nationals swept all their three elimination-round games—at the expense of the Malaysians on Thursday, 97-71; the Indonesians on Friday, 94-54; and the Singaporeans on Saturday, 106-51 in the 9th Southeast Asian Basketball Association Championship for a winning margin of 40.25 points a game.

Now they train their sights on the Fiba-Asia tournament from September 15 to 25 in Wuhan, which offers one slot to the 2012 London Olympics.

“This is a great team because we’re winning like this even though we only have nine players and some of them even injured,” said the Philippines’ Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.

The team arrived in Jakarta with 10 players but sent Filipino-American Marcio Lassiter back home after his back injury flared up again during practice before the opener.

Others said to be playing hurt were JV Casio (foot), Japeth Aguilar (foot), Chris Lutz (quadriceps) and Dylan Ababou, who recently just recovered from high fever.

Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter and Far Eastern University’s Aldrech Ramos skipped the event to concentrate on the preparations of their schools in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

The squad’s reinforcement from the pro league—Meralco’s Asi Taulava, Air21’s Dondon Hontiveros and Talk ’N Text’s Kelly Williams and Jimmy Alapag—are also focusing on their mother teams’ stint in the Governor’s Cup.

Toroman looking beyond 2012

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Manny V. Pangilinan earlier said he is inclined to continue the Smart Gilas program beyond its current timetable.

But there’s no assurance Toroman will be back as the coach of the national team as his commitment is only until the Wuhan tournament.

Toroman seems to be looking further ahead, and is now speaking about a possible job extension for the 2014 World Championships.

“I would be happy to accept the job if they hire me again,” said Toroman.

The Serbian was tasked to lead the country to London and if he will have his way, Gilas should continue with additional players from the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) team of coach Norman Black.

“It should be the combination of the best in the team that the Philippines will send in the SEA Games and the old members of the Smart Gilas,” said Toroman.

That’s a few leaps ahead, however, because it is widely believed that if or when the nationals fail in their current mission, there will be a player exodus to the pro ranks.

Only Tiu, the team captain, has yet to express his desire to turn professional, while naturalized player Marcus Douthit is ineligible to play in the Philippine Basketball Association.

“Given the choice, I want to play for the national team. I hope the program continues. I want to play in the 2013 Fiba-Asia and hope to qualify in the 2014 World Championship,” said Tiu.

Japeth Aguilar will be playing for Talk ’N Text after his stint with the national team, while Marcio Lassiter, JV Casio, Mark Barroca, Dylan Ababou, Jason Ballesteros, Chris Lutz and Marnel Baracael are reportedly joining this year’s draft.

The only other players who will then still be available for future international tournaments are Greg Slaughter and Aldrech Ramos.

The two will banner the SEA Games quintet of Black in November in Indonesia. The team is composed of amateur players aged 23 years old and under.

In 2009, a team of professional cagers and handled by head coach Yeng Guiao finished eighth in the Fiba Asia tournament in China, a qualifier for the 2010 World Championship in Turkey.

The Philippines still holds the highest finish among Asian countries in the World Championship, a bronze medal held at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1954. The team was bannered by cage greats Caloy Loyzga and Lauro Mumar.

Joel Orellana