Smart Gilas drawn with top Iranian, Qatari cage teams

source: Joel Orellana | businessmirror.com.ph

SMART Gilas is bracing for a tougher competition in the coming International Basketball Federation (Fiba)-Asia Champions Cup in Doha, Qatar, from May 22 to 30.

The Philippine squad is bracketed in Group A with defending champion Mahram of Iran and Qatar’s No. 1 club Al-Rayyan. Also in their group are Iraq’s Dohuk and the Astana Tigers of Kazakhstan.

The Astana Tigers have an average height of six feet and seven inches and are probably the youngest team in the 10-club field with an average age of 21.64.

“It’s a strong group, but we know we can compete against the top teams,” said Serbian coach Rajko Toroman after the team’s practice on Wednesday night at the Arena in San Juan. “Believe me, this Champions Cup will be much stronger than last year.”

In the last edition of the Champions Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia, a CJ Giles-reinforced Smart Gilas squad finished fifth.

“We have to reach the quarters first and then it depends who we play in the next round. But we have to move forward from fifth place in Jakarta,” said Toroman.

The team leaves for Las Vegas on Saturday for a nine-day training camp.

Lebanon’s Al-Riyyadi, Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, Syria’s Al-Jalaa, Applied Science University of Jordan and Al-Nasr of the United Arab Emirates comprise Group B.

Smart Gilas has played against some of the teams in the Champions Cup in the Dubai Invitational basketball tournament where the team shocked the field with a third-place finish despite playing All-Filipino for most of the tournament.

The team’s import then, six-foot-11 Jamal Sampson, played sparingly.

“I think we have a better chance now than before, because we know what kind of competition we are up to,” said team captain Chris Tiu. “Unlike in the past when we really don’t have an idea.”

Smart Gilas team manager Frankie Lim said the Champions Cup will be a good measure on how the team has progressed.

“We’ve been preparing for this. This tournament will help us gauge the performance of the team going into the Asian Games,” said Lim, referring to the team’s return in the quadrennial meet in the basketball team. The country was not able to send a basketball squad in the 2006 Asian Games due to a Fiba suspension.

JV Casio, who had an MCL sprain, is expected to return after a month

“He’s (Casio) one of our important players,” said Toroman. “Fortunately, his injury is not so bad. He’ll be out of the team for one month.”

Casio sustained the injury in the team’s final game against Mega Vizura in their tour in Belgrade early this month.

Other Smart Gilas candidates returning to the team after recovering from injuries are Rabeh Al-Hussaini (bone spurs) and Rey Guevarra (MCL and ACL).