INQUIRER Sports

DUBAI? THE SMART GILAS-PILIPINAS national team is one big man shy of an ideal lineup. But RP coach Rajko Toroman is already convinced that the national five is ready to go head to head with Asian basketball powerhouses Iran and China.

The Serbian mentor based his evaluation on the country?s performance in the 21st Dubai International Tournament, where Smart Gilas salvaged third place against towering teams with far more experienced players.

?The teams that we played in this tournament are definitely tougher than China,? said Toroman on the eve of their departure from this city famous for the Burj Khalifa, the world?s tallest building at 828 meters.

?We could had been champions if we had an inside player with the size of Asi Taulava,? added Toroman after leading an all-local Smart Gilas crew to a bronze-medal finish over Al Jalaa.

The RP squad did away with the services of the 6-foot-11 Jamal Sampson.

The Syrians had imports Garnett Thompson (6-10), 7-footer Zendon Hamilton and Demitric Shaw aside from three hulking Brazilian-Syrian players.

?In this tournament, we proved that height isn?t everything in basketball,? said Toroman. ?If you don?t have the size, you compensate for it with your heart.?

The mentor described as impressive the performances of Jason Ballesteros, Mac Baracael, Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca and JVee Casio, who was named best guard of the tournament.

Sampson, who refused to play in the quarterfinals against Al Riyadi and Al Jalaa, claimed he has a hurting knee.

This prompted Toroman to rely heavily on the 6-7 Ballesteros and the 6-3 Baracael in the paint along with Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala said the team was disappointed with Sampson, the team?s second candidate for naturalization after CJ Giles, who now plays for Al Riyadi.

?Obviously, he?s not willing to risk limb, career and life for the national team, which is different from the rest of the boys,? said Eala, who has already sent an e-mail to Smart Gilas scout Jim Kelly in the United States to look for a replacement.