Thoughts on Smart Gilas

This is the lineup of Smart Gilas Pilipinas:

CJ Giles, Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, Jason Ballesteros, Aldrech Ramos, Rabeh Al-Hussaini

Rey Guevarra, Dylan Ababou, Mac Baracael, Ric Cawaling, Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca, RJ Jazul, Jayvee Casio, Magi Sison, Paul Lee, and Junmar Fajardo.

Chris Lutz, Sean Anthony, and Ryan Buenafe are also in the pool. 

Does Al-Hussaini's presence help this team? 

Yes, because he can run the break, pass the ball out of a double team, and can hit the mid range jumper. He is difficult to box out and can be a physical player. In the PBA and international competition, he will be up against taller players so I'm sure he will have to adjust his game and his approach. But he will be a plus. Otherwise, Rajko Toroman wouldn't ask for him.

How can Paul Lee help?

If you look at their guard corps -- Casio, Tiu, Barroca, and Jazul; then their swingmen in Guevarra (though injured), Ababou, Baracael, and Cawaling, all of them can bring down the ball, beat the press, slash to the basket, and more importantly shoot from the outside. They are all interchangeable parts so when one goes out, you lose nothing in terms of capability and skill. Lee fits them and the international game will make him a better player. 

Lee, like Casio, Barroca, Tiu, Jazul, Ababou, and Cawaling can bring down that ball. So pressing against this team will not be easy. But more importantly, they will run, run, and run their foes to the ground.

Does Ryan Buenafe have a place on this team?

Definitely. I see him here more of a point guard though. If you think he is good with Ateneo as he has played two different roles on their past two title teams, then you haven't seen anything yet. As one San Sebastian observer said, Ateneo got the best Baste boy. 

The composition of Rajko Toroman's team is predicated on smart players who understand the game. It's a motion offense with set plays that have lots of options. They are tall and at once athletic. Plus they must be able to shoot. It's an equal opportunity offense where anyone can score at any time.

This is a team that practices trick shots from alley-oops to inbound plays and all sorts of showboat moves. Why? Because according to Toroman, you will never know when you need to improvise on a play. If it calls for the impossible or trick shot, then they have to be ready.

Does the addition of Al-Hussaini mean that he will play power forward? Does it affect Baracael's playing time at the for-spot?

Yes, Rabeh could see time at the four-spot. But as for Baracael... now. Mac is Toroman's favorite player on that squad. When Mac is absent, the coach loses his cool. Why so? Have you seen the former FEU Tam play lately? Ibang klase the way he raised his game to another level.I asked Allan Gregorio why Mac played the four-spot in Jakarta when he was obviously going to give up a lot in height, the answer was swift and sure. "It's about quality." And yes, he was guarding taller players and doing well. In one sequence, he went up for a slam. He was fouled and the ball rimmed out. Have you ever seen him do that with FEU? And to think that this was against international competition. And yes, he is one of the loudest cheerleaders on the bench. 

Can we make it to the London Olympics?

We don't know but we're going to give it that old college try. Look, whether it was Powerade or Gilas, everyone should support the national team. On another note and in case you do not know, the Gilas program was intended for the PBA but they said no to it. And Chot Reyes' San Mig Pilipinas team that competed in Tokushima -- that was a real good one. They should have kept that team in place. They were on the right track. Now... well, there's Smart Gilas. So support the national team (and the PBA too!).

What can you say about Rajko Toroman?

I remember asking Mac when the team was introduced to the media at Promenade in Greenhills, what makes the Serb good. Mac replied, that he had an answer for any situation and his methods were designed to make individuals and teams better. Having watched them in the months preceding Jakarta and since then what can I say? With five players on hand -- Casio, Tiu, Ballesteros, Baracael, and Lutz, they beat Talk N Text by 20. And they didn't sub. Two days later, minus Tiu who was replaced by Emerson Oreta as the captain was unavailable, they won by 13. In Jakarta, I was baffled by many of his moves or substitution patterns. Then I realized that I was thinking the way an American looks at the game. Did any of them make sense? Yes they did. So I learned to adapt and be flexible in my way of thinking about how this team plays the game. 

I have enjoyed many a conversation with the coach as we talked about Euro basketball, football, the NBA, and the PBA. The coach, even when abroad, constantly asks for updates about PBA teams. I had to update him on a regular basis about scores etc. He is a fan too and studies the game. Even while he was coach of Iran, he could rattle off the individual stats of Team Pilipinas' players! That's how studious he is with the game. I recall him raving about Kerby Raymundo's skills and how he would be a nice addition to Gilas. He mentioned three other players he'd love to have on the team. Unfortunately, I cannot remember their names. 

During walk throughs, I find it amazing that he runs the moves that he teaches. Obviously, he played the game too. 

I asked Japeth Aguilar about the difference between the Powerade and Gilas locker rooms before games, he said that in Gilas, the players were more loose. Everything had been done, discussed, and dissected in practice. Before the game, the players were allowed to relax in whatever way they felt. 

And oh, he is a fan of FC Barcelona.

There was a time when I used to be able to get inside the locker rooms of Ginebra (the Jaworski teams) and Purefoods (under Chot) and I've seen them discuss things. All are interesting and even memorable. So following this team -- Smart Gilas -- is a writer's dream. It's like following the great Jack McCallum did a bang up job with the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns.