Coach Rajko Toroman believes Smart Gilas Pilipinas may struggle in 2011 FIBA Asia first-round
Smart Gilas Pilipinas’ Serbian coach Rajko Toroman is a man who seeks perfection and he wasn’t very even after his side beat Jordan 80-71 in a friendly game recently.
According to Toroman, the Philippines team require more time to get into full rhythm for the FIBA Asia Championship, which tips off from September 15.
China will host this year’s FIBA Asia in Wuhan and the Smart Gilas will depart today to take part in the tournament. Toroman said so because his key players Kelly Williams Ranidel De Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag didn’t get many games to get into rhythm.
“We need more time. These guys who came in late have been up and down. We’ll be more ready in the second round. I guess we need 10 days more to be ready.” Indicating the weak areas of Smart Gilas, Toroman said, “Still not good offensively. We don’t communicate on the floor well.”
Besides lacking the form, fitness issues have added salt to the injury for Smart Gilas. After the Jordan game, the Filipinos were supposed to end the exhibition series against Qatar, but literally had to beg for rest because of injuries to their ace players.
Point guard JV Casio also didn’t take part in the last game in order to give his left knee a break. Casio is rated as one of the top player not just in Smart Gilas, but also in the Asian basketball circuit.
In Casio’s absence, coach Toroman utilized Marcio Lassiter mainly as an outside shooter and Chris Tiu in defence to limit team Jordan, which was guided by Zaghab Ali, Rasheim Wright the shooting guard and Osama Daghles.
However, Jordan gave Toroman’s boys a tough time and exposed few weaknesses in Smart Gilas’ offence. Still, Smart Gilas managed to overcome the opposing team and are now going into FIBA Asia, which is a qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.
In the FIBA Asia, Toroman’s team is placed in Group-D with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China and Bahrain. The top three teams from each group will progress into the next round of the tournament – Group F. The final of the tournament, in which Iran will enter as the defending champions, will be played on 25th September.
Smart Gilas will commence their first-round proceedings against UAE on Thursday, then face China on Friday and will meet Bahrain on Saturday.
In the second-round of the tournament Smart Gilas could face Jordan, Syria and Japan.
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