World-Class Caging Seen as RP Invitational Gets Underway

(From GMA News)

Three Olympic coaches, two local mentors with international experience and some of the finest professional and amateur players all in one pocket tournament.

This is definitely a treat to all basketball-loving Filipinos.

Five teams will take center stage beginning Thursday as the Smart Philippine Invitational Challenge gets underway at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Our very own Smart-Gilas national developmental pool, crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra, powerhouse Philippine Basketball Association team Talk N Text, FIBA World Championship-bound Jordan national team and Chinese club team Dongguan will take part in this event.

Toroman, who led Iran to its first FIBA Asia Championship in 2007 and its first Olympic stint two years ago, has been tasked to lead the amateur-laden Philippine national team aspirants back to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1972.

As impressive -- if not more impressive -- as Toroman’s credentials are the coaching resume of Mario Palma and Brian Goorjian.

Palma, a Portugese coach who led Angola to three straight FIBA Africa crown, will call the shots for a Jordan squad that booked a berth to the World Basketball Championship in Turkey next year.

Goorjian is regarded as the most successful coach in Australian basketball history, having spearheaded the team to two Olympic stints – 2004 in Athens and 2008 in Beijing.

He was a six-time Australian NBL Coach of the Year while winning six league championships and 13 finals appearances.

The two foreign coaches have high respect for Filipino players.

"The Philippines can be great in the world, but for what I see, if they play for spectators and not play to win games, it will be very difficult. But I think coach Rajko is going to change that," said Palma.

Goorjian is no stranger to Pinoy basketball either. He has faced RP squads beefed up by all-pro players, but the Smart-Gilas team remains a mystery to him.

"I haven't seen this Philippine team. The teams we played against before (when I was coached the Sydney Kings) were tough and I think this batch will be very competitive with this lineup," he said.

Former national team coaches Chot Reyes of Talk N Text and Jong Uichico of Ginebra had a taste of international basketball.

Reyes was coach of the RP five to the 2007 FIBA Asia while Uichico, a member of the 1984 Northern Consolidated team that won the FIBA Asia Chmapions Cup title in Ipoh, Malaysia, was mentor of the RP quintet in the 2002 Busan Asian Games.

They will use this pocket tournament to fine tune their respective squads in the ongoing PBA Fiesta Cup where they have strong chances of making it all the way.

The Tropang Texters and the Gin Kings will play no bearing games in the pocket tournament, but that doesn't mean they will become laid carpets against either the visitors or the Smart-Gilas squad.

"We're going to treat this scrimmage seriously and toughen the team up for the semifinals and hopefully the finals," said Talk N Text team manager Virgil Villavicencio.

Lim, Uichico’s former teammate and now Ginebra team manager, said the players will be having a hard time adjusting to the FIBA rules.

"It's going to be tough for us adjusting to the FIBA rules but we will try to give our opponents a good competition," said Lim.

Ginebra takes on Jordan in the first game at 4:30 p.m.

A brief opening ceremonies will follow next before Smart Gilas tackles Dongguan in the main game at 7 p.m.

Games will be shown on a delayed basis on QTV Channel 11 from June 26 to 29 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Gilas Coach Hopes PBA Board Loans Williams

(From GMA News)

If Smart-Gilas coach Rajko Toroman will have his way, he would like to have former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) most valuable player (MVP) Kelly Williams joining his squad for the Guangzhou Asian Games.

"Yes, we want to include him (Williams) to the Asian Games, but it will depend also on the PBA," said Toroman in a text message sent to GMANews.TV.

Toroman, the man responsible for steering Iran to the FIBA Asia Championship crown in 2007 that enabled the country to earn an Olympic berth in Beijing, was vocal about Williams’ inclusion.

Perhaps, the first step towards Williams joining Smart-Gilas had already been achieved after Talk ‘N Text acquired him and Ryan Reyes in a three-team, nine-player trade.

Like Smart-Gilas, Talk ‘N Text is one among the few teams being bankrolled by businessman/sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan.

But Toroman still needs the PBA board’s approval in loaning Williams to the Gilas developmental squad, which is a non-PBA member.

Williams will definitely not be included in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup set to begin next week in Doha, Qatar.

Talented Filipino-American guard Chris Lutz, however, will join the team in Doha after the Marshall University standout arrived Tuesday from the United States. He is expected to take the place of Marcio Lassiter, who suffered a slight tear on his right knee.

"Maybe Lutz can replace him, but we will see," said Toroman.

Lutz, a 24-year-old combo guard, was the all-time leading scorer while playing for Trinity High School before going to the Thundering Herd. The 6-foot-3 Lutz averaged 8.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while playing for the US NCAA Division I team.

He once worked out for the national developmental team and quickly impressed everyone, including Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes.

“I had the opportunity of seeing (Lutz) play here. Smart-Gilas was playing tune up games against us and I was impressed with his versatility. He can shoot, can slash and plays with a lot of energy," said Reyes.

Lutz will definitely be a welcome addition to the Gilas squad battered with injuries. Team captain Christ Tiu is playing with an injury along with Mark Baracael, JR Cawaling and guard JV Casio, who was named the best playmaker in a Dubai meet but is now rehabilitating from an ACL injury.

"Not so nice for the team right now because we have a lot of injuries," said Toroman. "We have a lot of work to do in the Champions Cup because all teams go to Doha to win."

Greg Slaughter was supposed to be more of a project player for the national team aspirants, but he had shown tremendous improvement under Toroman’s guidance.

"He’s getting better and better," said Toroman on the 6-foot-11 pride of University of Visayas, who will suit up for the Ateneo Eagles in next year’s UAAP wars.

Serbian import Milan Vucicevic, according to Toroman, had slowly got himself accustomed with the Philippines’ hot and humid conditions as well as with his teammates.

Vucicevic had various stints in basketball leagues in Cyprus, Oman, Ukraine, Greece and Poland. He is described by Toroman as a "good player, with a good attitude."

"If he could help enough the team, we’ll make a deal with him after Doha. It’s all up to him," said Toroman of the Serbian import.

Love of Money Bad for RP Basketball, Says Hoops Legend

(From Yahoo!)

A member of the Philippine basketball team which finished 3rd in the 1954 FIBA World Championship said it would take hard work and sheer love of the game for the Philippines to be truly successful again in the international basketball scene.

Antonio Genato, who played alongside other basketball greats like Carlos “The Big Difference” Loyzaga and Lauro Mumar in the 50’s, said the reason why they were successful during their heydays is that they never cared about the money.

“Nowadays, it’s not for the love of the sport, which we were that way. We were never paid during that time, we played for the love of the sport. Period,” said the 81-year-old legend, who was among those recently inducted to the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame.

Aside from Genato, Loyzaga and Mumar, the 1954 RP team was also composed of Ponciano Saldaña, Bayani Amador, Francisco Rabat, Rafael Barretto, Mariano Tolentino, Florentino Bautista Jr., Benjamin Francisco and Ramon Manulat. They were coached by Herminio Silva.

Genato cited as an example their close game against Uruguay in the 1954 World Championship. The RP team won, 67-63, for 3rd place.

“When we would have to play hard, tough and dirty, we would have to do it… Against Uruguay, it was matira matibay. That was the game we had against them. We had to do that to win that third place,” he said.

Genato said the present crop of players can improve by improving their skills in the basics of the game.

“The new system now I don’t think it works because there’s no skills involved anymore. It’s body against body, there’s no skills as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

His team’s losses in the World Championship quarterfinals came at the hands of the US team, which went on to win the championship, and eventual 2nd-placer Brazil.

Genato said he would be interested to see the Smart-Gilas Pilipinas squad in action once they return from their training abroad.

“I told him (Coach Rajko Toroman) that when they come back from their trip, I wanna watch them and I’ll give my two cents worth,” he said.

Hall of Fame Cagers Share Thoughts on Olympic-Seeking RP Five

(From GMA News)

Three of the fabled members of the 1954 Philippine men’s basketball team that finished third in the World Basketball Championship in Rio de Janeiro had shared their thoughts on the Smart-Gilas squad vying for an Olympic basketball spot.

Together, they gave mixed reactions on the well-funded, well-traveled team handled by FIBA Asia Champion coach Rajko Toroman. The Smart Gilas Philippine team is embarking on a three-year program with the ultimate goal of returning to the Olympics two years from now in London.

“I have my doubts," said Antonio Genato, when asked if the country’s top amateur cagers have a good chance of earning a spot in the Olympics.

The last time the country made it to the Olympic basketball scene was during the 1972 Munich Olympics when the team was handled by Ning Ramos and bannered by Bogs Adornado, Danny Florencio, Adriano Papa, Tembong Melencio, Ed Ocampo and Manny Paner among others.

Genato played point guard for the 1954 RP squad that include Carlos Loyzaga and Lauro Mumar as among the more notable players.

Genato said that he had talked with Toroman about the Smart-Gilas team.

“He believes that we have a good chance. I haven’t seen them play but I promised him that I’m going to visit once they return to Manila and tell to him what I think," said Genato.

Genato mentioned one glaring difference about today’s players from the cagers of yesteryears.

“Today’s players lack the basics as compared to when we played," said Genato.

Napoleon Flores, another member of that storied squad, believes otherwise.

“They just have to work hard. We’re a small team. They just have to try hard for the country, but I have high hopes for them that they can make it," said Flores.

Flores added that it was indeed an honor to play for the country so it’s their responsibility to be prepared.

“Some of the players today are not disciplined. Before, we don’t smoke and we take care of our bodies because we know we’re in for a tough grind when competition comes," said Flores.

The 1954 RP team was honored as one of the inductees in the first class of the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame joining the likes of Loyzaga, professional boxers Gabriel “Flash" Elorde, Pancho Villa and Ceferino Garcia, amateur boxers Jose “Cely" Villanueva and his son Anthony Villanueva, tracksters Miguel White and Simeon Toribio and swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso.

Aside from Loyzaga, Mumar and Genato, also included in that team were Bayani Amador, Rafael Barretto, Florentino Bautista Jr., Benjamin Francisco, Ramon Manulat, Mariano Tolentino, Francisco Rabat and Ponciano Saldaña. Herminio Silva was the coach.

The team defeated Paraguay and lost to Brazil in the preliminaries in Group A but it was enough for the squad to advance to the quarterfinal round.

In the next round, the RP cagers beat Israel, Canada, France, Uruguay and Formosa (now Chinese-Taipei) to take the bronze medal. Their losses in the quarterfinal round came from eventual champion United States and silver winner Brazil.

Flores said that he was nervous about receiving the award as he was joined by Bautista, Genato and Barredo and relatives of his teammates in receiving the plum from Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping, Chief Justice Renato Puno and Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) president Teddyvic Melendres of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“I really didn’t expect this award. It was also the first time I saw my teammates again," said Flores.

Two years after the bronze-medal win, Genato would once again play for the country, this time in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, where he competed against the United States team composed of Bill Russell and KC Jones among others.

Russell and Jones eventually became the stars for the Boston Celtics, who established a dynasty in the National Basketball Association, winning 10 championships in a span of 11 seasons.

“When we played against the United States, coach Leo (Prieto) put our second five in our starting line-up because there was no way we can beat the United States," said Genato.

The Philippines lost, 121-53, in that game but went on to finish seventh in that Olympiad.