Smart Gilas feels a victor despite loss to NBA stars

MANILA, Philippines - After a learning experience at the hands of a stellar NBA cast it played in the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Smart Gilas Pilipinas has shifted its focus to the William Jones Cup slated Aug. 6-14 in Chinese Taipei.

The Nationals played with its full roster against the Kobe Bryant-led Smart NBA All-Stars and produced good results, an 89-98 defeat that looked more like a victory since they faced some of the best basketball players on the planet.

“It was a good result for us considering that we’re playing with a full line-up for the first time,” said Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman. “Our focus now is to prepare for the Jones Cup this August.”

Toroman got a glimpse of his team’s potential after Talk N’ Text’s Kelly Williams and Jimmy Alapag appeared to have mixed well with the regulars along with Meralco’s Asi Taulava and Air21’s Dondon Hontiveros.

The other pro reinforcing the team – Talk N’ Text’s Ranidel de Ocampo – was in uniform but he did not play because of a broken nose he sustained in Tropang Texters’ team practice less than a week ago.

Williams, Alapag and De Ocampo, however, will not be with the Jones Cup-bound squad as their mother club is still playing in the ongoing PBA Governors Cup and would only rejoin the Nationals late August in time for the FIBA-Asia Championship set Sept. 15-25 in Wuhan, China where a lone berth to the 2012 London Olympics is at stake.

Toroman said they would need to play more often though to gel well.

“It think we need eight to nine more games for the Fiba Asia Championship. We’re playing about the same number of games in the Jones Cup but we still don’t have the Talk n Text players (Alapag, Williams and de Ocampo) then,” said Toroman.

The Filipinos drew Asian powerhouse Jordan in their first game on Aug. 6 and United Arab Emirates the next day before taking a one-day break in this nine-team tournament which gives the title to the team emerging with the best win-loss record after the single-round robin format.

After the break, Smart Gilas will play seven straight games against South Korea on Aug. 9, South Africa on Aug. 10, Japan Aug. 11, Malaysia Aug. 12, host Chinese Taipei Aug. 13 and finally two-time Asian champion Iran on Aug. 14.

The Jones Cup-bound team will also be composed of naturalized Marcus Douthit, captain Chris Tiu, co-skipper Mark Barroca, JV Casio, Mac Baracael, Japeth Aguilar, Dylan Ababou, Jason Ballesteros, Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter.