Gilas in limbo as it faces tough Jordan

WUHAN – Smart Gilas Pilipinas tangles with old rival Jordan today, determined to push its bid even as the status of Fil-Am players Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz remains uncertain at the start of the second round of elimination phase of the 26th FIBA Asia Championship here.

Philippine cage federation officials are hopeful FIBA World will act favorably on the case of the two Fil-Am players, allowing them to rejoin Smart Gilas as it slugs it out with Jordan in their crucial 3:30 p.m. match.

“We’re in constant touch with FIBA. All the cases have been elevated (to FIBA). In a way, we cannot betray confidence here. All I can say is we’re doing our best to get in touch with them, urging them to make a decision. Hopefully, (FIBA decides) in time for our game against Jordan,” said SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan.

SBP officials at home wired pertinent papers from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Zurich-based FIBA World office Friday. FIBA Asia officials here await ruling from the FIBA World top brass.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Saud Bin Ali Al-Thani has reportedly resigned as president of the Qatar basketball federation following their Wuhan fiasco.

With five players declared ineligible, Qatar dropped all three games in the first phase of the elims and opted to skip the classification play. The Qataris, sixth placers in Tianjin in 2009, were to fly home last night.

On Smart Gilas Pilipinas, expectation is high Lassiter and Lutz would eventually be cleared.

“(FIBA Asia) officials here just can’t understand our laws,” said Smart Gilas assistant coach Chot Reyes.

Smart Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman said reinstatement or continued banning of the two Fil-Am players would be a big factor in their game versus Jordan.

“Lots of things depend on it. Jordan is very physical. They’re bigger than us, and we need these two guys especially if they (Jordan) play Zaid Abbas at position three,” said Toroman.

“They have two extremely good players in Rasheim Wright and Sam Daghles. And all their other guys are doing their job,” Toroman added.

Minus Lassiter and Lutz, the Nationals could well find big match-up problems, especially against the talented backcourt tandem of Wright and Daghles.

Jordan beat Smart Gilas in the last Jones Cup but the Filipinos got back at the Jordanians in a tune-up match in Manila a few days before they flew in here.

“We had a lot of games played with Jordan in the last two years. Mostly, we won these games,” said Toroman. “I think Jordan was in much better shape in the Jones Cup, than here. “They’ve yet to show their real potential here.”

The Philippines lost to Jordan in FIBA Asia meetings in Tokushima in 2007 and in Tianjin in 2009.

The Nationals need to arrest this skid if they’re to avoid a powerhouse team as rival in the quarterfinal round.

Smart Gilas plays Japan at 6 p.m. tomorrow and Syria also at 6 p.m. Wednesday to complete their elimination-round matches.

From among China (2-0), Japan (2-0), the Philippines (1-1), Jordan (1-1), UAE (0-2) and Syria (0-2) which now compose Group F, the top four advance to the crossover knockout stage versus the best four from Group E – Iran (2-0), Korea (2-0), Lebanon (1-1), Chinese Taipei (1-1), Malaysia (0-2) and Uzbekistan (0-2.

Teams that made the second round carry over their win-loss records against other qualifiers from the first round.

NOTES: The SBP president hosted a dinner for Smart Gilas after winning its game against Bahrain Saturday. After dinner, “Mr. MVP” and the coaching staff talked to Lassiter and Lutz, urging the two players to keep a positive mindset and be ready to play any moment.