INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Lebanese basketball officials revealed that CJ Giles, who was removed from the Smart Gilas Pilipinas National Team, signed a hefty contract with a club team in Lebanon.

The 6-foot-11 Giles reportedly hooked up with Sporting Al-Riyadi Beirut, a Lebanese ballclub defeated by Smart Gilas in the Fiba-Asia Champions Cup held in Jakarta early this year.

It was no secret that Lebanon wanted the former LA Laker badly as Lebanese basketball officials tried to recruit him along with Gilas co-captain Mark Barroca during the tournament.

Giles, who missed last Friday’s game against Sta. Lucia Realty due to a foot injury, signed a one-year pact, which includes housing and a car plus other perks and bonuses.

Gilas has been seeing action in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup as a guest squad.

``After a long and thorough evaluation of CJ’s performance in the last month, it was our decision to pre-terminate his contract and cut him from Smart Gilas,’’ said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala.

``The coaching staff felt that he has underperformed this last month due to lack of focus and various injuries,’’ added Eala.