Is Giles on way out?

Naturalization candidate C. J. Giles was not himself at the Smart-Gilas practice last Tuesday. Coach Rajko Toroman said his body was in the gym but his mind was somewhere else.

The next day, Giles suited up for Gilas against “sister” team Talk ‘N’ Text in the first game of a PBA triplebill at the Cuneta Astrodome. Once more, Toroman noticed Giles was distracted. It was like Giles was miles away – mentally.

Giles started and played only five uneventful minutes, picking up a rebound and a turnover without attempting a single shot.

“I pulled him out not for a disciplinary reason but because I saw his focus was not on the game,” said Toroman. “Even in the dressing room before the game, it didn’t seem like he was all there.”

After the Tropang Texters blew out Gilas by 33 points in a merciless thrashing, Toroman said he found out Giles told SBP executive director Noli Eala at halftime that his 2-year-old son was dying in a hospital in Kansas.

At presstime, Toroman said he hadn’t spoken with Giles and didn’t know if he would play against Barangay Ginebra in another PBA tripleheader at the Astrodome today.

Giles’ benching triggered a swirl of rumors that reverberated throughout the league. Was it a disciplinary measure? Someone said Giles reported for practice looking “spaced out” like he didn’t sleep the night before or was nursing a bad hangover. Another said he forgot to bring his uniform for the game against Talk ‘N’ Text and that’s why Toroman played him only five minutes. Still, a supposed team “insider” claimed his mother phoned the other day to say his son had been hospitalized due to a blood disorder.

Toroman, however, insisted his decision to bench Giles was not a disciplinary action. He dismissed speculation that Gilas pulled out its big guns to favor Talk ‘N’ Text because the outcome would reflect in the Tropang Texters’ standings.

What made the situation more suspicious was the absence of former Ateneo stars Chris Tiu and Rabeh Al Hussaini from the floor.

* * * *

But Toroman said Al Hussaini hadn’t shown up at practice for three days because of a cold and flu-like symptoms. He added he has been in contact with doctors looking after Al Hussaini. Tiu took a bruising hit on the chest, near the shoulder area, during a recent scrimmage and isn’t even sure of playing today.

“It’s not fair to speculate without knowing the facts,” said Toroman. “I go out to win every game, no matter whom we play. That’s how I am. I took out C. J. because his mind wasn’t on the game and both Rabeh and Chris were down.”

An irate fan suggested not to count the wins or losses of PBA teams against Gilas because of the possibility of “fixing” games.

“Why didn’t Toroman bring back Giles?” the fan wondered. “He should’ve tried to get Giles to play precisely because Talk ‘N’ Text was the opponent and it didn’t look good that he played only five minutes. If Giles had to sit, Toroman could’ve benched him in the coming Ginebra game but not against Talk ‘N’ Text out of delicadeza. Maybe, Gilas will be used for strategy purposes in fixing the standings.”

Toroman stood firm in his position that Gilas will never compromise the integrity of the game. He has too much respect for the SBP and the game itself to do otherwise.

“We had a bad game against Talk ‘N’ Text,” said Toroman. “It happens. We had 25 turnovers and shot poorly (35 percent). They did a good job of switching their defense from man-to-man to zone.”

As for Giles, it remains to be seen if he’ll come back down to earth. His brother Malcolm is in town and together, they plan to set up a T-shirt business here. Giles has mentioned bringing over his mother and son. The word from the Gilas camp is he’s taking his naturalization seriously and will settle down here.

The unsettling thing about Giles is his troubled past. Could it be haunting or bedeviling him?

* * * *

It will be recalled that Giles, 24, was kicked out of the University of Kansas and Oregon State varsities. He has been cited by police for assaulting a woman and gained a dubious reputation as a practice dodger in college.

There’s no doubt the 6-10 Giles has talent. In the summer of 2005, he was one of 21 players invited by USA Basketball to join the under-21 national team trials. Pro scouts reportedly raved about his potential during the camp. Unfortunately, Giles was injured early in the tryouts.

In 2005-06, he averaged 6.2 points and 4.8 rebounds for Kansas as a sophomore, starting 13 of 33 games, and was hailed as one of the premier young big men in the US NCAA Division I. He was struck out of the lineup after two seasons for “irresponsible behavior and disrespect for team rules.” At Oregon State in 2007-08, he averaged 6.3 points and 5.8 rebounds then was dismissed for showing up late at practices.

Giles applied for the NBA draft in 2008 but wasn’t picked. He worked his way to a spot in the Los Angeles Lakers pre-season roster last year but after playing four games, was cut. Giles was later invited to attend the Gilas tryouts in Las Vegas last April and impressed Toroman with his length, athleticism and skills.

At the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup in Jakarta last May, Giles averaged 18.8 points and 13.2 rebounds in six games as the Philippines took fifth place. He also played in Gilas’ four exhibition games with the Japanese national team in Tokyo. Giles was particularly outstanding in powering Gilas to a 98-69 drubbing of Powerade in an exhibition charity game early this month. He compiled 22 points, 16 rebounds and five blocked shots without a turnover in 38 minutes.

If Giles opts out or is released, Gilas goes back to square one in its quest for a naturalization candidate.

The hope is Giles will straighten out and return to the Gilas fold. Giles is a huge asset to the national team – if he keeps his head screwed in place.