Douthit, Tiu players left in Smart Gilas

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Gilas Pilipinas may end up with just naturalized Marcus Douthit and team captain Chris Tiu and a handful of collegiate players as its core in the program in the next two years after giving its mainstays the green light to turn pro.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas vice chairman Ricky Vargas yesterday confirmed no extension contracts have been tendered to JV Casio and Fil-Ams Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz although they are three of the five eyed to lead Smart Gilas campaign in the 2014 FIBA World Championship.

“We’re not going to make offers to the players, we’ll let them join this Sunday’s rookie draft,” said Vargas, also the president of Maynilad Water and the man at helm of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.

Aside from the FIBA Asia Championship in China next month, Smart Gilas will vie in the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championship where the top three finishers will advance to the FIBA Worlds, which is set in Spanish cities of Bilbao, Granada, Las Palmas, Sevilla, Barcelona and Madrid.

With no qualifying offers, Smart Gilas practically gave up on Casio, Lutz and Lassiter, who have all entered the draft alongside fellow Nationals Mac Baracael, Mark Barroca, Dylan Ababou and Jason Ballesteros, all potential first round picks.

Tiu, however, decided to forego his chance to turn pro at the last minute as he opted to stick it out with the Smart Gilas program, formed three years ago.

The current Smart Gilas players are set to see action in the FIBA-Asia Championship slated Sept. 15-25 in Wuhan, China where a lone berth in next year’s London Olympics is at stake.

After Wuhan, Smart Gilas will be forced to start with Douthit and Tiu along with seven-footer Greg Slaughter and 6-6 Aldrech Ramos, who are not part of the Wuhan squad due to their commitment to their respective UAAP schools Ateneo and Far Eastern U.

The fate of Japeth Aguilar, on the other hand, will depend on Talk n Text, which took him via a trade from Air21 two years ago.

Smart Gilas could also tap some Fil-foreign players, including Chris Banchero or some of the country’s top collegiate players like Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena, National U’s Bobby Ray Parks, FEU’s RR Garcia, San Beda’s Garvo Lanete, San Sebastian’s Calvin Abueva and Ronald Pascual or Letran’s Kevin Alas.