Toroman eyes medal finish over Asia's best

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Gilas Pilipinas head coach Rajko Toroman won’t settle for anything less than a medal in the FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in September.

“I’m thinking of winning a medal,” said the Serbian coach during yesterday’s PSA Forum Shakey’s along United Nations Avenue.

“Whatever medal it will be a good result for us,” added Toroman who was joined in the forum by Smart Gilas finance officer Butch Antonio.

Toroman sounded very optimistic despite the fact that the FIBA Asia men’s tournament is considered the major league of Asian basketball.

It’s where the toughest teams from Asia, all 16 of them, will converge in Wuhan, China on Sept. 15-25, with the champion earning a slot to the 2012 London Olympics.

It’s where China, South Korea, Iran and Lebanon will field their best possible lineups, and yet Toroman is confident of pulling it off.

“I’m very optimistic. Our goal is set and it’s the Olympics. It’s about time we deliver something bigger,” he said.

The country’s fourth place finish in the recent Champion’s Cup in Manila gives Toroman the confidence he needs heading to Wuhan.

“What gives me the optimism is our finish in the Champions Cup which was very competitive and very strong competition,” he said.

“A lot of teams had two imports and all the national players with Iran were there, and we played for third place,” he said.

“We’ve had a very good preparation.  We have the best chance of going far in the FIBA Asia. And the way we’ve been preparing for three years, we have this shot big chance of doing something better,” said Antonio.

Before the FIBA Asia tournament, Smart Gilas will test its mettle in the Jones Cup on Aug. 6-14.

“It will be a big test before the FIBA Asia. There will be eight or nine teams and we will play seven or eight games,” said Toroman.

He said all the international exposure being given Smart Gilas has turned the team into one cohesive, tactical unit.

Toroman said his team had played close to 100 international matches over the last three years, and that “mever in history of Philippine basketball has it played in as many international games.”

“Our players can be very competitive in Asia. Our players may not be the most skillful but they are the best tactical players,” he said.