Smart Gilas faces tough Asian test

MANILA—The Smart Gilas national team won’t have any tougher tournament in preparation for the Olympic qualifiers this year than the Fiba-Asia Champions Cup opening tomorrow at the PhilSports Arena.

The Nationals will have their hands full, duking it out with the top club teams in Asia, which will be reinforced by a stellar cast of imports. Some of the clubs will also feature the core of their country’s national teams.

“It’s even tougher than the Jones Cup,” said Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman at a press conference hosted by Sports5 which will air the Champions Cup games live.

The Jones Cup is a prestigious annual tournament in Taiwan that lures the top national teams in Asia and where several Philippine teams have figured prominently in the past.

“You can just imagine the quality in [the Champions Cup]. It will be played at a high level. There will be two great imports in every team,”  said Toroman. Gilas has been grouped with Malaysia, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in the tournament.

“The biggest test for us is this tournament and I think we are ready,” said the Serbian who steered Iran to the Olympics in 2008. “Now is the time to show everybody that Smart Gilas can be competitive with the best in Asia.”

Gilas has won four of its exhibition matches, including against Saudi Arabia, 99-63, Wednesday night and Toroman expects his squad to finish at least second in the group, where Jordan is also a favorite.

The stellar import cast in the tournament includes NBA veteran Samaki Walker, who will team up with Jamaal Miller in Syrian club Al Jalaa, and one-time Smart Gilas naturalization candidate CJ Giles, who will power Iraqi team Duhok together with Chudney Corey.

Jordan, represented by ASU, has tapped former PBA import Jameel Watkins and Ryan Forehan-Kelly, while Saudi Arabia will rely on Serbian Vadislav Dragajlovic and Darren Keely.

Defending champion Mahram of Iran will be reinforced by Senegalese player Chick Samb and Chris Williams, a veteran of the Euroleague.

Qatar, bannered by Al-Rayyan, will have Chaunce Leslie and Kimani Friend, Al-Riyadi of Lebanon has tapped Ismail Ahmad and Loren Woods and the KL Dragons of Malaysia will be powered by Marcus Morrison and Christopher Ayer.

Toroman bared that the national team’s buildup to the Fiba-Asia Championship, which will stake a slot to the London Olympics, will also include tournaments in Turkey and Portugal in July.