DUBAI – Smart Gilas Pilipinas opens its title bid late tonight as it collides with a dangerous Al-Jalaa of Syria in the import-laced 21st Dubai Invitational basketball tournament at the Ahli Club here.
The Filipinos, mentored by Serbian Rajko Toroman, are expected to have their hands full as they will compete against teams boosted by imports in the event that will cap their two-week Middle East sojourn.
Smart Gilas drew Al-Jalaa in Group B that included Champville of Lebanon, Zain of Jordan and An Nasr of Saudi Arabia.
Al-Jalaa will parade the imposing troika of Zendon Hamilton, Thomspon Garnett and Demtric Shaw against the Smart Gilas beefed up by RP naturalization candidate Jamal Sampson.
After facing the Al-Jalaa, the RP squad will be taking on Champville Lebanon tomorrow, Jordan’s Zain on Sunday and An Nasr from Saudi Arabia on Jan. 18.
“This tournament is stronger than the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup where teams were allowed just a maximum of two imports,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala referring to the tournament held in Jakarta, Indonesia last year.
“Despite the handicap, we will give these teams a good fight,” added Eala, who will join the squad tomorrow along with SBP deputy executive director Bernie Atienza.
The RP squad demolished Qatar in its turf using a newfound defense anchored on the imposing 6’11” Sampson, but the Qataris rebounded with an overtime win in the second match.
‘The two games against Qatar clearly showed that the players are starting to feel comfortable with each other,” said Eala.
He said wingman Marcio Lassiter and Jamal Sampson, a stocky 6-foot-11 former NBA journeyman, have added depth and ceiling to the team tasked with a mission of nailing a berth in the 2012 London Olympics.
Eala added that the 6-foot-2 Lassiter and Sampson are beginning to adjust to Toroman’s system and provide support to the rest of the Gilas players led by skipper Chris Tiu, UAAP reigning MVP Dylan Ababou and co-captain Mark Barroca.
Other members of the team, whose Mideast campaign is supported by GMA-7, Smart and Nike, are Marnel Baracael, JVee Casio, Japeth Aguilar, RJ Jazul, Jason Ballesteros, Greg Slaughter and Maggie Sison.
Tournament format calls for a single-round robin play on each bracket, after which the top four teams clash in a crossover quarterfinals with the qualifiers in the other group.
The remaining teams meet in the semifinals in another crossover before the survivors dispute the championship.