Smart Gilas RP plays tough Lebanon today

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/sports/10341-smart-gilas-rp-plays-tough-lebanese-side.html

Smart Gilas RP plays tough Lebanon today

by rick olivares

The Smart Gilas RP Men’s National Basketball Team hopes to rebound from a tough 98-87 loss to Iran last Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at the 20^th FIBA Asia Champions Challenge Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Filipinos will be facing Al Riyadi Lebanon today at 2pm at the Britama Arena in Jakarta.

The Philippines is bracketed in a virtual “Group of Death” with Mahram Iran, Sangmoo Army Club of Korea, Qadsia Kuwait, and Lebanon. Mahram is the current West Asian Basketball Association champion having beaten Zain Jordan which is in Group B of the tournament last March in Ammam, Jordan.

The banged up Al Riyadi Lebanon is coming off winning the 2009 Lebanese championship and a Dubai title win but might have two key players who are doubtful for their 2pm match with the Gilas team. American import Chris Charles has an inflamed knee as a result of a collision with a Kuwaiti player in their first match of the tournament and team captain Fadi El Khatib suffered a back injury in their Wednesday match against Korea.

Philippine Head Coach Rajko Toroman pointed to poor fee throw shooting (13-22 for 59.1%) and rebounding as the culprits for their performance (Iran had a 48-29 advantage off the boards). But notwithstanding those, it was foul trouble to Giles, Aldrech Ramos, and Marnel Baracael that depleted the Philippines’ frontline.

The Smart Gilas Team led by ten points in the first quarter 24-10 before Iran closed the gap 46-44 Philippines at the half. Giles’ fourth foul in the early minutes of the third did the Filipinos in as Mahram detonated a mighty 17-7 wind-up in the third quarter to take control. Iran’s American import tandem of the 7’2” Priest Lauderdale and 6’10” Jackson Vroman, both NBA veterans, led Iran with the latter, a former Phoenix Sun and New Orleans Hornet scoring a tournament high 42 points.

Al Riyadi will be lead by it slippery point guard Ali Mahmoud, the 6’5” Yehya Sabra, and the team’s second American reinforcement Nate Johnson, an active player with a game much like current Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom.

Smart Gilas RP’s starting five is team captains Chris Tiu and Andy Mark Barroca, forwards JR Cawaling and Marnel Baracael, and CJ Giles at center.

On Saturday, the Philippines will play Kuwait at 6pm in the evening. The crossover quarterfinals featuring the top four squads of each bracket will be a knockout affair. Eliminated teams play for tournament placing.