SMART-Gilas Pilipinas coach Rajko Toroman said he expects the nationals to fare better when they start their campaign as a guest team in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup, which kicks off on Friday, Feb. 18. The Serbian coach said that while the nationals weren’t that impressive when they had a similar but shorter guest stint in the league two years ago, the team’s several stints overseas in those two years have given them the needed toughness and experience to gut it out against PBA teams.
The nationals, according to Toroman, have learned a lot from playing against top international teams in Australia, Serbia, United States, Lebanon and Qatar and will be ready against the pros.
“They learned a lot the last two years. I really think so and it’s time to show them,” said Toroman, who guaranteed that his young team of former collegiate standouts will be a force to reckon with in the import-laced conference.
The PBA gave the green light to the request of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to accommodate the nationals as a guest team as part of their preparation for the FIBA-Asia Championship which serves as qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.
Toroman said the nationals’ PBA stint should help them develop mental and defensive toughness that they need to be competitive against Asia’s best squads in the Sept. 15 to 25 tournament slated to be held in China.
Toroman, who led Iran’s national team to the championship of the same FIBA Asia Championship four years ago that gave the Iranians a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, hopes to do the same for the Filipinos and said that the PBA is the perfect tournament where the nationals could sharpen their skills.
“I think they [Nationals] have to compete with PBA players because I think they can get some toughness that the PBA can give them and this is the most important thing,” Toroman said.
For added motivation, PBA Commissioner Chito Salud challenged the nationals to prove they deserve to wear the national colors during an orientation last Thursday at the PBA Headquarters.
“It’s a big challenge for them. They have to show they are competitive, that they deserve to play for Smart Gilas,” Toroman said.
He added that he is excited about the team’s participation in the PBA since he feels that Smart-Gilas Pilipinas can give something back to the league in terms of excitement, good players and good basketballI.
Reuel Vidal, Manila Standard Today
