Smart Gilas begins buildup for Fiba Asia bid

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas, dead serious in a bid to make good in the 2011 Fiba Asia championship, is hardly taking a rest, returning to training camp after Christmas Day to prepare for the Dubai Invitational Championship set Jan. 20-29.

Coach Rajko Toroman and his pool of players are not wasting time, having laid down a program running all the way to the Asiad joust late next year.

Smart Gilas’ goal is to make a good run that could lead to the country’s return stint to the Olympics in 2012 in London.

The 2011 Fiba Asia championship, which serves as the regional qualifier for the London Games, is originally set in Lebanon but may be moved to China.

Smart Gilas trains abroad or competes in an international tourney after every two months in preparation for the Asian meet.

The Nationals pitch camp in Serbia in March, play in the Fiba Asia Champions Cup in May and participate in the Jones Cup in July.

“If there are opportunities to play China, South Korea and Japan somewhere, the team will likely grab it,” said Smart Gilas operations chief Butch Antonio.

Asi Taulava, Kelly Williams and Sol Mercado are set to rejoin their PBA mother teams. Smart Gilas officials, however, have hinted at requesting the pro league again for reinforcement for the Fiba Asia tourney.

PBA selections carried the country’s colors in the last two Fiba Asia championships, finishing ninth in Tokushima in 2007 and eighth in Tianjin in 2009.

The national cage federation is hopeful the country can fare better in the next Asian meet with a sustained program and the addition of naturalized player Marcus Douthit.

Douthit is currently on vacation in the US but will return in time for the resumption of Smart Gilas’ training.

Set in the next few days is a meeting among SBP officials and Smart Gilas officials and coaching staff for the assessment of the Nationals’ showing in the recent Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

Smart Gilas failed to make it past the quarterfinal round and settled for sixth place behind China, South Korea, Iran, Japan and Qatar.