Smart Gilas vows decent finish in tough FIBA-Asia bracket

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Gilas has vowed to better its previous fifth place finish despite drawing a tough group in the 21st FIBA-Asia Champions Cup slated May 22-30 in Doha, Qatar.

“We have to make to the quarterfinals and then everything would depend on what team we play in the semifinals,” said coach Rajko Toroman during the team’s practice at The Arena in San Juan last Tuesday. “But we have to move forward from fifth place in Jakarta.”

The Philippines looks headed for a tough outing after being drawn in the company of defending champion Iran, host Qatar, dangerous Kazakhstan and returnee Iraq in Group A.

But the Filipino cagers remain confident of their chances.

“I think we have a better chance this year because we know what kind of competition we’re facing unlike in the past when we really don’t have an idea,” said team skipper Chris Tiu.

“We’ve been preparing for this. This tournament will help us gauge the performance of the team going into the Asian Games,’’ said Lim.

Toroman, however, stressed Group A would be tougher than Group B, which is composed of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

“It’s (Group A) a tough group but we know we can compete against the top teams,” said Toroman. “This Champions Cup in general will be much stronger compared to Jakarta.”

Meanwhile, SBP executive director Noli Eala said that Ray Parks, son of former PBA Best import Bobby, will spearhead the RP three-on-three team that will see action in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

“Ray Parks was invited to join the RP team participating in the Youth Olympic Games alongside Michael Tolomia and Jerone Teng,” said Eala.

Lim said they hope to find an American import to reinforce the Smart Gilas squad in time for the Champions Cup where the Filipino hopes to improve their fifth place finish in Jakarta last year.

Lim said the team is now eyeing seven-foot Michael Fey of UCLA as its candidate for naturalization.

As a junior in 2004-05, the 26-year-old Fey piled up norms of 8.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 23 minutes in 29 games, including seven starts. He shot a sterling .546 percent from the field that same season and a decent .697 from the line. He once scored a career-high 23 points.

He, however, sustained various injuries – groin strain, a sprained left shoulder and a severe right ankle sprain – in his senior year and sat out a total of 21 games.

He came back and played in 18 contests but he was far from his old self and averaged merely 1.7 points.

The Bruins lost to Joakim Noah and the Florida Gators the same season. Interestingly, Fey had two varsity teammates who ended up in the NBA – the Milwaukee Bucks’ Luc Mbah a Moute and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Jordan Farmar.

Toroman also said he was relieved guard JV Casio, the Best Guard in last January’s Dubai Invitational where RP finished third, sustained an MCL injury and not an ACL injury that would take about four to six weeks to heal.

“He’s (Casio) an important player for us. We’re happy his injury is not bad,” he said.

Smart Gilas is scheduled to leave on April 24 for Las Vegas before proceeding to Vancouver in May and from there to Qatar.