MANILA, Philippines — Marcus Douthit, the American player who agreed to be naturalized to play for Smart-Gilas Pilipinas, arrived on Wednesday from a long vacation in the United States and will resume practice with the team in preparation for the Dubai Invitational set Jan. 20 to 29.

Rajko Toroman, Serbian mentor of Smart-Gilas, said on Wednesday that Douthit will definitely play in the Dubai meet where the PH team placed third overall last year behind Iran and Lebanon. “Marcus will join the team. He will definitely play a big part. He’s a key factor in our frontline rotation. With Marcus, we hope to improve on our finish from last year,” Toroman said.

Douthit failed to join the national team in the previous Asian Games in Guangzhou, China because his papers for naturalization are still pending at the Senate.

Aside from the 6-foot-11 Douthit, who signed a one-year deal with Smart-Gilas, Toroman is also eyeing to have Asi Taulava to reinforce the team.

The 6-foot-9 Fil-Tongan played for the Nationals in the Asian Games where the team placed sixth overall. His first stint with the team was in the Stankovic Cup in Lebanon last August.

However, the possibility of Taulava playing for Smart-Gilas again will depend on whether his mother team Meralco as well as the PBA board will allow him to join the trip.

“We’ll ask the PBA again for help,” Toroman said.

The other day, team manager Frankie Lim said he will ask the PBA board to allow the national team to play in the second conference Commissioner’s Cup in February to serve as training ground for the FIBA-Asia Championship in September.

The FIBA-Asia Championship is the qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.

Waylon Galvez, Manila Bulletin