INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?Smart Gilas will leave for the United States Saturday not only for its Asian Games and Olympic buildup but also to catch a preview of what to expect in the American Basketball Association.

The RP five was officially entered as one of the teams in the 2011 ABA season, the second biggest pro league in North America after the NBA, according to ABA Global vice chair Paul Monozca.

Smart Gilas will test the San Diego Surf tomorrow before taking on Los Angeles Slam and Riverside Rainmakers on Monday and Tuesday.

Warming up for the Fiba Asia Champions Cup in Doha next month, the Nationals will also play a series of exhibition games next week in Las Vegas.

Smart Gilas will be the second foreign team to play in the ABA after China?s Beijing Aoshen team led by former LA Lakers guard Sun Yue.

?It has been a dream for Filipino players to play in a US pro league, similar to the dreams of other players from all over the world,? Monozca told the Inquirer. ?Now, that dream will become a reality.?

RP coach Rajko Toroman?s squad is made up of Chris Tiu, Mark Barocca, Marcio Lassiter, Marnel Baracael, Jason Ballesteros, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, UAAP MVP Dylan Ababou, JV Casio, JR Cawaling, Aldreich Ramos, RJ Jazul, Rey Guevarra and assistant coaches Jude Roque, Allan Gregorio, Jalma Arnedo, Oliver Bunyi, Jimbo Saret Albert Rolle (team doctor).