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The Smart Gilas National Basketball team's goal is to finish at least fourth in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, on November 12-27.
The preparations for the Asiad began this January when the team left for Doha and engaged the Qatari Nat’l Team in two “friendlies”, winning a game. Then, Gilas competed in the Dubai International Basketball Tournament on January 14-23, finishing 3rd to Riyadi and Mahram, which wound up 2nd and 1st respectively.
Gilas is set to play in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Champions Cup qualifiers on March 3-7 at a site still to be set and at least six games against Australian pro clubs during a 10-day tour of the Gold Coast late that month. Lined up are the Perth Wildcats, Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers. In April, the team will participate in the Stankovic Cup qualifiers on April 2-6 then play in a series of games in Serbia for 10 days.
Assuming Gilas qualifies, Toroman will pilot the Philippines at the Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur (FIBA)-Asia Champions Cup in Doha on May 7-15, then train at the Joe Abunassar camp in Las Vegas and play games against the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and the Canadian national squad in Vancouver.
In June, Eala said the SBP is planning to host a pocket tournament featuring teams gearing up for the World Championships in Turkey where Iran, China and Lebanon will represent Asia. Iran and China finished 1-2 in the FIBA-Asia qualifiers in Tianjin this year while Lebanon joined three other wildcards – Germany, Lithuania and Russia – to enter the 24-team tournament via the backdoor by paying 500,000 euros. Eala said he is in contact with the New Zealand basketball association for the Tall Blacks to train with Gilas either in Manila or Auckland.
Then, Gilas will play at the Jones Cup in Taipei in July, take a break in August to allow collegiate players Ryan Buenafe, Aldrech Ramos, J. R. Cawaling and Magi Sison to suit up for their schools in the UAAP and barnstorm the US in October on an extensive NCAA tour similar to what coach Tim Cone arranged for the Centennial squad in 1998. Also in October, Gilas will play in the Stankovic Cup before heading for the Asian Games.
Eala said with the emergence of Asian powers Lebanon and Jordan to crowd Iran, China, Qatar, Korea and Japan for basketball supremacy, the Philippines will be severely tested in Guangzhou.
(with reports from philstar)
The preparations for the Asiad began this January when the team left for Doha and engaged the Qatari Nat’l Team in two “friendlies”, winning a game. Then, Gilas competed in the Dubai International Basketball Tournament on January 14-23, finishing 3rd to Riyadi and Mahram, which wound up 2nd and 1st respectively.
Gilas is set to play in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Champions Cup qualifiers on March 3-7 at a site still to be set and at least six games against Australian pro clubs during a 10-day tour of the Gold Coast late that month. Lined up are the Perth Wildcats, Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers. In April, the team will participate in the Stankovic Cup qualifiers on April 2-6 then play in a series of games in Serbia for 10 days.
Assuming Gilas qualifies, Toroman will pilot the Philippines at the Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur (FIBA)-Asia Champions Cup in Doha on May 7-15, then train at the Joe Abunassar camp in Las Vegas and play games against the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and the Canadian national squad in Vancouver.
In June, Eala said the SBP is planning to host a pocket tournament featuring teams gearing up for the World Championships in Turkey where Iran, China and Lebanon will represent Asia. Iran and China finished 1-2 in the FIBA-Asia qualifiers in Tianjin this year while Lebanon joined three other wildcards – Germany, Lithuania and Russia – to enter the 24-team tournament via the backdoor by paying 500,000 euros. Eala said he is in contact with the New Zealand basketball association for the Tall Blacks to train with Gilas either in Manila or Auckland.
Then, Gilas will play at the Jones Cup in Taipei in July, take a break in August to allow collegiate players Ryan Buenafe, Aldrech Ramos, J. R. Cawaling and Magi Sison to suit up for their schools in the UAAP and barnstorm the US in October on an extensive NCAA tour similar to what coach Tim Cone arranged for the Centennial squad in 1998. Also in October, Gilas will play in the Stankovic Cup before heading for the Asian Games.
Eala said with the emergence of Asian powers Lebanon and Jordan to crowd Iran, China, Qatar, Korea and Japan for basketball supremacy, the Philippines will be severely tested in Guangzhou.
(with reports from philstar)
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