Smart Gilas, a haven for basketball refugees, gets ready for new challenges
by rick olivares
by rick olivares
Rajko Toroman has coached in the World and European Championships, the FIBA Asia Championships, and the Summer Olympics -- the cream de la crème of basketball tournaments – yet he looks forward to coaching the Smart Gilas Pilipinas Men’s National Team in the upcoming Philippine Basketball Association All-Filipino Conference. “It’s nice. I look forward to it. Especially since you’ll find the best basketball in the country there and it is a crucial part in our mission to qualify for the Olympics,” he said after team practice at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City.
The Gilas Team in recent days has become a haven for refugees from other leagues. Chester Jarrel Giles, the former Los Angeles Laker draftee who is undergoing a naturalization process for the Philippines arrived 15 days ago after his prospects of making the Denver Nuggets line-up didn’t look too good.
Japeth Aguilar, the PBA’s Number One over-all pick during the 2009 Rookie Draft, has attended a few of the national team’s practices after the arriving from a quick vacation in the United States. Aguilar has spurned pro club Burger King in favor of suiting up for the national squad citing a desire to represent his country. His decision has sparked a firestorm of controversy that is still unresolved to this day and with the league set to start its 35th season that is only three weeks away.
And most recently, Andy Mark Barroca, the former Far Eastern University Tamaraw who was removed from the squad following game throwing allegations after a loss to Ateneo de Manila that decided the number seed for the ongoing Final Four series in the UAAP, has joined the squad. Although heartbroken about the accusation, Barroca has found the refuge with the national team; an enjoyment he has made no bones about since he hooked up with Gilas last year.
In the last two days, Gilas scrimmaged with a Liga Pilipinas team and PBA club Red Bull where he scored 15 and 14 points respectively. “Masakit,” he described of the incident that still haunts him from the moment he wakes up. “Pero tuloy pa rin ang buhay. Buti na lang may Smart Gilas.”
The national team is leaving Tuesday morning for a tune-up game against the Singapore Slingers this coming Wednesday and will be back in the Philippines the following day.
The nationals, still missing its collegiate stars still seeing action in the UAAP, NCAA, and CESAFI will have in its tune up roster skippers Chris Tiu and Barroca, Jayvee Casio, Mac Baracael, Jason Ballesteros, Magi Sison, Aguilar, Giles, and a pair of 24-year old Fil-Australians Sebastian Salinas and Matthew Schmechtig. “Dylan Ababou was supposed to join the team,” said Gilas Team Manager Butch Antonio. “But he still has classes that he cannot afford to miss.”
The players missing from the line-up include Letran’s Rey Guevarra and RJ Jazul, FEU’s Aldrech Ramos and Ric Cawaling, and the University of Visayas’ Greg Slaughter. The national squad is also hoping that after the college wars are over this October, the University of the East’s Paul Lee, Ateneo de Manila’s Rabeh Al-Hussaini, and the University of Cebu’s Junmar Fajardo. “We will talk to them after the college season is done,” disclosed Toroman who believes that the three will complete the line-up and give them the flexibility to compete in international competitions.
The Serbian mentor was happy for Ababou named the Most Valuable Player for the 72nd Season of the UAAP. “He is one of our main weapons and is a special player.” As much as Toroman likes Al-Hussaini, he believes that the best player on the title hungry Blue Eagles is power forward Nonoy Baclao. “He does so many things on the floor that do not show in the stat sheet. He is a complete player.”
Despite the wave of controversy that surrounds some of its players, the mood and atmosphere in the team is one of excitement. “Syempre excited ako,” beamed Casio who has added a wicked crossover to his arsenal of moves.
Barroca for one can’t wait to see action. He watched FEU’s Final Four game in tears and wishes he could help his former team. But the point guard who intends to graduate from his Recreational Management course at FEU next year, is looking at the PBA stint and national duty with much anticipation. “Tapos na yung para sa school. Para sa bayan naman ‘to.”
The Gilas Team in recent days has become a haven for refugees from other leagues. Chester Jarrel Giles, the former Los Angeles Laker draftee who is undergoing a naturalization process for the Philippines arrived 15 days ago after his prospects of making the Denver Nuggets line-up didn’t look too good.
Japeth Aguilar, the PBA’s Number One over-all pick during the 2009 Rookie Draft, has attended a few of the national team’s practices after the arriving from a quick vacation in the United States. Aguilar has spurned pro club Burger King in favor of suiting up for the national squad citing a desire to represent his country. His decision has sparked a firestorm of controversy that is still unresolved to this day and with the league set to start its 35th season that is only three weeks away.
And most recently, Andy Mark Barroca, the former Far Eastern University Tamaraw who was removed from the squad following game throwing allegations after a loss to Ateneo de Manila that decided the number seed for the ongoing Final Four series in the UAAP, has joined the squad. Although heartbroken about the accusation, Barroca has found the refuge with the national team; an enjoyment he has made no bones about since he hooked up with Gilas last year.
In the last two days, Gilas scrimmaged with a Liga Pilipinas team and PBA club Red Bull where he scored 15 and 14 points respectively. “Masakit,” he described of the incident that still haunts him from the moment he wakes up. “Pero tuloy pa rin ang buhay. Buti na lang may Smart Gilas.”
The national team is leaving Tuesday morning for a tune-up game against the Singapore Slingers this coming Wednesday and will be back in the Philippines the following day.
The nationals, still missing its collegiate stars still seeing action in the UAAP, NCAA, and CESAFI will have in its tune up roster skippers Chris Tiu and Barroca, Jayvee Casio, Mac Baracael, Jason Ballesteros, Magi Sison, Aguilar, Giles, and a pair of 24-year old Fil-Australians Sebastian Salinas and Matthew Schmechtig. “Dylan Ababou was supposed to join the team,” said Gilas Team Manager Butch Antonio. “But he still has classes that he cannot afford to miss.”
The players missing from the line-up include Letran’s Rey Guevarra and RJ Jazul, FEU’s Aldrech Ramos and Ric Cawaling, and the University of Visayas’ Greg Slaughter. The national squad is also hoping that after the college wars are over this October, the University of the East’s Paul Lee, Ateneo de Manila’s Rabeh Al-Hussaini, and the University of Cebu’s Junmar Fajardo. “We will talk to them after the college season is done,” disclosed Toroman who believes that the three will complete the line-up and give them the flexibility to compete in international competitions.
The Serbian mentor was happy for Ababou named the Most Valuable Player for the 72nd Season of the UAAP. “He is one of our main weapons and is a special player.” As much as Toroman likes Al-Hussaini, he believes that the best player on the title hungry Blue Eagles is power forward Nonoy Baclao. “He does so many things on the floor that do not show in the stat sheet. He is a complete player.”
Despite the wave of controversy that surrounds some of its players, the mood and atmosphere in the team is one of excitement. “Syempre excited ako,” beamed Casio who has added a wicked crossover to his arsenal of moves.
Barroca for one can’t wait to see action. He watched FEU’s Final Four game in tears and wishes he could help his former team. But the point guard who intends to graduate from his Recreational Management course at FEU next year, is looking at the PBA stint and national duty with much anticipation. “Tapos na yung para sa school. Para sa bayan naman ‘to.”
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