Philippines - Gilas defying odds in Dubai cagefest

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What they lack in height, they compensate with heart and team spirit.

Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas, the national developmental squad composed of collegiate amateur standouts, made headway in the 21st Dubai International Basketball Championship with four consecutive wins against the Goliaths of Middle East and North African basketball.

Gilas is also enjoying a sort of home court advantage with the migrant Filipinos in UAW coming in droves to see them play.
Chris Tiu GMANews.TV

An 82-78 come-from-behind win over Egypt’s Al Jazeera Club last Wednesday (early Thursday morning in Manila) sent the Nationals to the semis against Al Riyadi of Lebanon, a team bannered by five American players including ex-Gilas reinforcement CJ Giles and former PBA import Nate Johnson.

Game time is on Friday at 7 p.m. (11 p.m. in Manila) at the Al Ahli Sports Club in Al Ghusais, Dubai.

"The lack of an intimidating big man is the team’s weakness but our boys have a big heart, they fight for the country. With the way we are playing, I believe we can now be competitive against the top Asian teams," said RP coach Rajko Toroman.

Egypt coach Ahmed Marri was likewise all praises for the Philippine team. He said that despite Al Riyadi having more big men against Gilas the RP 5 of coach Toroman remains a "very, very difficult team to beat. They are very mobile and strong on the defense."

Gilas opened the tournament with a 90-76 setback against Syria’s Al Jalaa minus 6-foot-11 reinforcement Jamal Sampson on Jan. 14. The Nationals failed to match up against he taller Syrian squad, who used three American imports in the game,

Sampson is a former NBA veteran who is being eyed for naturalization by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

But the Nationals, gearing up for the Asian Games this year and the 2011 Olympic-qualifying FIBA-Asia championship, bounced back with consecutive victories over Champville Lebanon; Zain Jordan (bronze medalist in the 2009 FIBA-Asia Championships with bragging rights of three victories against PBA-backed squads); and UAE’s Al Nasr Club.
Gilas Pilipinas players celebrate at center court after beating Egypt's Al Jazeera. GMANews.TV

Carrying the scoring load for the nationals are the lethal triumvirate of Mac Baracael, JV Casio and team captain Chris Tiu. The three have been averaging in double figures — thanks to their torrid outside shooting and daredevil moves inside the basket.

On defense, Toroman has Fil-Am Marcio Lassiter, speedy guard Mark Barroca and do-it-all forward Dylan Ababou to lean on. Ababou even played hurt after fracturing his nose during Gilas’ game against Jordan’s Zain.

Even 6-foot-7 Jason Ballesteros also became a revelation for Gilas in the tournament as he proved his mettle against taller and heftier players particularly 7-footer Ayman Idais and 6-foot-10 Ashante Johnson of Jordan.

Toughest tournament
Toroman admitted that this is the toughest tournament yet for the team but it also brought out the best games from everyone so far.

Gilas will have a tough semis opponent in defending champion Al Riyadi, the only team in Lebanon to win the Lebanese Basketball Championship 21 times and are also perennial champions in the Pan Arab Cup.
Filipino migrant workers unfurl a Philippine flag to show their support for the Smart Gilas team. GMANews.TV

Al Riyadi will be parading five American imports, two have already been naturalized. Former NBA prospect and ex-Gilas import Giles (6-foot-11) is also looking for some payback after being dropped from the RP national developmental team due to attitude problem.

Giles, who played top college ball for Oregon and Kansas states, will be backed up by local heroes Fadi El Khatib, Ali Mahmoud, Jean Abdel-Nour, naturalized Joseph Vogel and Matt Freijie and American imports Gerald Brown and former SMB import Johnson. Their coach Abou Chakra is also decorated with several international best coach awards.

Toroman said that his team will really have a hard time against the more experienced and well-rounded Lebanese who can spread and have big inside game but he is very proud of his boys who have nothing in mind but to play for flag and country.

"I'm confident that we will make it because we're playing good in this tournament,'' he added.

Casio also said that their team is poised to win. "The intensity of our game goes up every time we play. We will push ourselves to the limit."

For Baracael, he said that they have already exceeded everyone’s expectations in this tournament and now nothing is impossible.