Nationals resume training sans Taulava, Hontiveros

MANILA, Philippines -  Smart Gilas Pilipinas will have to do without its PBA reinforcements in the next couple of months after the pros recently decided to play for their respective mother ball clubs in the ongoing PBA Governors Cup.

“They will play for their PBA teams, they will rejoin the team only after the third conference of the PBA,” said Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman referring to Talk n Text’s Kelly Williams and Jimmy Alapag, Meralco’s Asi Taulava and Air21’s Dondon Hontiveros.

Williams and Alapag had actually decided to join the Tropang Texters’ bid for the grand slam even before the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup while Taulava has played in the Bolts’ opening game last Sunday.

Hontiveros, who saw action in the Champions Cup like Taulava, has been practicing with the Express and hopes to help the team’s campaign this conference.

In the agreement between Smart Gilas and the PBA, the pros are allowed to choose to either play for their respective squads in the Governors Cup or stay with the national team.

The pros’ decision, however, was a big blow to the Nationals’ preparation for the FIBA-Asia Championship slated Sept. 15-25 in Wuhan, China where the winner will represent the region in the 2012 London Olympics. The pros would only be able to rejoin Smart Gilas by August, just a month before the Wuhan meet.

Toroman, however, said they would have to do with what’s left with the team, basically a combination of former collegiate stars with naturalized Marcus Douthit.

“We need to do everything we need to do not to be affected with the recent developments,” Toroman said.

The Nationals resumed practice Monday after taking a one-week break to prepare for the ninth Southeast Asian Basketball Association Men’s Championship slated June 23-26 in Jakarta, where three berths are staked for the Wuhan meet.

Smart Gilas will then fly to Turkey and Portugal next month and play some tuneup games against powerhouse countries like Serbia, Romania and Iran, the reigning back-to-back Asian champion.

The pros could rejoin Smart Gilas in the Jones Cup from Aug. 6-14 in Chinese Taipei.

“The soonest they could return to the team is the Jones Cup but it will still depend on the performance of their teams in the Governors Cup so we’re still hoping for the best,” said Toroman.

Toroman said they would also set up goodwill games with Australian and Chinese teams where he hopes the pros could see action before plunging into action in Wuhan.