Lithuanian nat’l mentor to assist in Gilas camp

MANILA, Philippines - Lithuanian national team coach Kestutis Kemzura will conduct practices with Gilas Pilipinas at training camp in the seaside resort town of Palanga on June 2-16 and six games are scheduled for the visiting squad to battle top local clubs during the grind.

Gilas coach Chot Reyes recently confirmed the trip after coordinating details with Kemzura who piloted Lithuania to a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey.  Team manager Butch Antonio said Gilas’ 17-man pool will fly to Palanga, situated on the Baltic Sea shore in western Lithuania, then take a bus ride to Vanagupe Hotel where the camp will be set up.

“We were informed that the Qatar national team had its training in Lithuania a few years ago and it was quite successful,” said Antonio.  “So coach Chot made contact with key FIBA officials until he reached out to coach Kemzura.  The camp will be a mix of practices and tune-up games.  We’re hoping coach Kemzura himself will conduct some of the practices so we can learn from his style.”

Kemzura, 42, was Russian national coach David Blatt’s long-time assistant and has coached in Italy, Latvia, Russia and Poland.  His assistant with the Lithuanian national team is former Russian star Valdemaras Chomicius.  Among the NBA players who’ve been coached by Kemzura are Darius Songaila, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Linas Kleiza and Jonas Valanciunas.  Kemzura steered Lithuania to fifth place at the FIBA Europe Championships in 2011 and eighth at the 2012 London Olympics.

Under Kemzura, Lithuania posted a 2-4 record in the last Olympics, beating Tunisia 76-63, and Nigeria 72-53, and bowing to Russia 83-74, USA 99-94, France 82-74 and Argentina 102-79.  Lithuania had the lowest losing margin to the US in the tournament and led, 84-82, with 5:50 left before crumbling down the stretch.  In the knockout quarterfinals, Lithuania was booted out by Russia.  Lithuania made it to London via the bonus qualifying tournament in Venezuela.

Lithuania has enjoyed a rich basketball history with legendary players Arvydas Sabonis, Sarunas Marciulionis and Rimas Kurtinaitis.  Jonas Kazlauskas coached Lithuania to a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics then moved to China to coach the national team to the FIBA-Asia Championship in 2005 and the Asian Games gold medal in 2006.

Reyes said he has put off 5-on-5 scrimmages for Gilas’ Monday practices until the end of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup where 15 of the 17 players in the pool are seeing action.  Gilas will make its first public appearance as a team on the court in a game against the PBA Selection during the PBA All-Star extravaganza in Digos, Davao del Sur, on May 5.  There is a plan to pit Gilas against Yao Ming’s Shanghai Sharks at the MOA Arena the week after. 

“It’s really tough,” said Reyes.  “As it is, some coaches are already complaining even if it’s only 5-on-0 walkthroughs.  In fact, I’m seriously thinking of scrapping the once-a-week practices altogether since we’re not getting complete attendance anyway.”   Alaska’s Sonny Thoss shows up for the weekly sessions but isn’t allowed to play while the Aces are still in contention in the Commissioner’s Cup. 

PBA special assistant to the commissioner Willy Marcial said although the practices are only walkthroughs, they’re gruelling but nobody is complaining.  “I think the players are working hard and enjoying themselves,” said Marcial who watches every practice.  “You can see that they’re building chemistry.  Take JuneMar (Fajardo).  In the first few practices, he was very quiet but now, he’s joking around with the guys.  After every practice, coach Chot calls joke time and the guys take turns cracking jokes.  Gary (David) and Ranidel (de Ocampo) are the biggest jokers.”

When Gilas returns from Lithuania, the team will play in a four-team pocket tournament here on June 26-30.  Then, they fly to Taipei to defend their Jones Cup crown on July 6-16.  The FIBA-Asia Championships will be held in Manila on Aug. 1-11.