Smart Gilas' line up for FIBA Asia Cup, P-Noy could boost program

Source : AKTV

SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national coach Chot Reyes has named his lineup for the 2012 FIBA Asia Cup slated in Tokyo, Japan.



Ginebra San Miguel’s LA Tenorio, who won Most Valuable Player honors in SMART-Gilas’ title run in the 34th William Jones Cup, leads the lineup along with holdovers Gabe Norwood and Jeff Chan of Rain or Shine, Gary David of GlobalPort, Larry Fonacier and Ranidel De Ocampo of Talk ‘N Text, Enrico Villanueva of Barako Bull, Jay-R Reyes of Meralco, Sonny Thoss of Alaska, Filipino-American Matthew Rosser and naturalized center Marcus Douthit. Talk ‘N Text forward Jared Dillinger will be the only new addition to the team, with Meralco guard Sol Mercado being rendered ineligible because of FIBA Asia rules concerning foreign-born citizens.

“FIBA doesn’t recognize Sol Mercado’s eligibility when he played for the Asian Games, just like (Marcio) Lassiter and (Chris) Lutz case. Don’t ask me why,” wrote Reyes on his Twitter account. In last year’s FIBA Asia Championship, the Filipino-American duo missed the preliminary round of the competition before being allowed to suit up.

Alaska’s Mac Baracael and former San Beda sharpshooter Garvo Lanete have also been dropped from the team because the FIBA Asia Cup only allows 12 players, in contrast to 14 for the Jones Cup. But Reyes said on Twitter that Lanete will still make the trip to Tokyo with the team.

Reyes said that other SMART-Gilas pool members Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes, and Kelly Williams, all from Talk ‘N Text, are still recuperating from injuries.

P-Noy could boost (From Inquirer)

The success of the Smart Gilas-Pilipinas five in the recent Jones Cup in Taipei has inspired no less than President Aquino who now wants to help boost the team’s campaign in a bigger international event.

Members of the national squad, led by coach Chot Reyes and tournament MVP LA Tenorio, paid the President a courtesy call in Malacañang yesterday and the Chief Executive offered a solution to problems hampering the country’s next outing in the Fiba Asia Cup next month in Tokyo.

Reyes said that a member of the team staff briefed the President that not all talents from the PBA have been made available to the team. After learning of this,  Mr. Aquino instructed Reyes to write a formal letter so he could do something about it.

“It’s a pity that a national program might go to waste. Perhaps, I can be of help,” a player quoted the President as saying in Filipino.

“It’s an order coming from the President himself. So yes, I will write him,” Reyes told the Inquirer over the phone.

The Philippines nipped powerhouse United States, 76-75, last Sunday, to win one of Asia’s most popular events for the fourth time, the first since 1998, with a squad that got together just two weeks before opening day.

Tenorio was the fourth quarter hero for the Philippines in its last two games, including a 76-72 triumph over the host Taiwanese that allowed the Filipinos to make the match with the Americans the championship game.

Reyes had come up with a list of pool members a few months back, with all the names coming from practically all the teams in the PBA.

After releasing the names and informing the league, Reyes asked the  players  in the pool to sign letters of commitment to the national program.

Of those named, Reyes didn’t get replies from B-Meg’s Marc Pingris and two-time PBA MVP James Yap, and Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot of Petron Blaze.

This Jones Cup was the first tournament in the program by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to get the Philippines back in the World Championship scheduled next year in Spain.

The Filipinos will leave on Sept. 12 to play in the fourth Fiba Asia Cup (formerly Stankovic Cup) in Tokyo, Japan, where the top three finishers will earn slots directly into the Fiba Asia World Qualifying.

The Philippines, through the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, is actually bidding to host the Fiba-Asia World Qualifying to be able to gain some sort of home court edge. Other countries wanting to host the event include Japan and Lebanon.

Incidentally, Lebanon belongs to the same group as the Philippines in Tokyo together with China-Macau, Uzbekistan and regional power China.