Gilas 5 begins quest vs UAE

WUHAN – Smart Gilas Pilipinas won’t leave anything to chance when it takes on unheralded United Arab Emirates as the battle among 16 Asian nations for one slot in the 2012 Olympics basketball competition begins here tonight.

A heavy eight-game bill is slated in Day One of the 26th FIBA Asia Championship serving as the regional qualifier for the Olympic Games.

For the Filipinos, the road to London starts in their 6 p.m. showdown with the UAE side, a team they have sized up during the recent Jones Cup in Chinese-Taipei.

Host China and Bahrain, the two other teams grouped with the Philippines and UAE in the initial stage of the tournament, play at 8 p.m.

It could well be a day of routs with Iran, Lebanon, Korea, Qatar and Japan, like China and Philippines, up against lowly rivals.

Jordan, second runner-up to Iran and China in the Tianjin meet in 2009, is the team with a tough assignment in Syria.

Coach Rajko Toroman said they wouldn’t have a problem if they play their usual game from start to finish, not underestimating UAE.

“UAE is not a bad team. They have quality players, athletic players and shooters in the wings. We are better but we’ll be in trouble if we underestimate them,” said Toroman of the team they beat by 25 points in the recent Jones Cup.

“They don’t have too much inside presence but their big guys can shoot the ball from the outside,” Toroman also said.

UAE should also be serious in their bid, having their own training and exposure abroad under a new foreign coach. They used to play under Serbian mentor Zoran Zupcevic.

Toroman wants his team to buckle down to work early and establish rhythm and momentum for their game against China at 8 p.m. tomorrow.

The Nationals close their stint in the initial round versus the Bahrainis at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Smart Gilas’ goal is at least two wins then another two victories in the next round against the best three from among Jordan, Japan, Syria and Indonesia.

Toroman doesn’t rule out pulling the rug from under the Chinese whom he believed are not in best shape.

The Chinese did lose a lot on the exit of Yao Ming but remain a major force with NBA veterans Yi Jinlian, Wang Zhizhi and Sun Yue.

They’re aching for revenge, having been beaten by the Iranians for the 2009 crown over in Tianjin.