Proof that it is leaving no stones unturned in its ambitious quest to qualify in the 2012 London Olympics, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has officially signed up former Los Angeles Laker CJ Giles for a one-year contract. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Noli Eala said having Giles agreed to sign up and play for the RP-Smart Gilas team is the first major step in acquiring a long-sought naturalized player.

Eala refused to disclose the amount involved in the contract, but hinted it is close to the salary being received by a PBA import.

Reinforcements in Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league approximately get $15,000 a month, an amount that could net the 23-year-old Giles $180,000 or roughly P7.27 million a month.

Eala has been vocal about SBP’s plans to naturalize Giles as part of its ambitious project to qualify in the 2012 London Olympics. “We’re really excited to have CJ in the lineup. It’s one of the ingredients that will give (the Nationals) a better shot at an Olympic slot in London."

The 6-foot-10 American is still in the U.S. after attending the NBA Summer League recently playing for the Denver Nuggets, where he averaged 7.2 points and 7.0 rebounds. But he is expected to return here on September 1 and start practicing with Serbian coach Rajko Toroman and the RP-Smart Gilas team.

The SBP is now in the process of seeking the help of Antipolo City Rep. Robbie Puno to speed up the naturalization of Giles, who played with the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oregon State Beavers during his college years.

Puno heads the Committee on Youth and Sports development in the House of Representatives and once worked with Eala during his stint as PBA commissioner.

The SBP, according to Eala, has the option to extend Giles’ contract depending on how he performs with the Smart-Gilas team.

Aside from the monthly stipend, part of the multi-million contract also includes a house and a car service. Eala added: he can also bring with him his brother and three-year old son."

Giles, who was never selected during the 2008 NBA Draft, first made an impression when he reinforced the Smart Gilas team in the recent FIBA-Asia Champions Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia, where the Nationals made the quarterfinals and eventually finished fifth overall.

Several teams, according to Eala, had been recruiting Giles as possible naturalized player, including regional powerhouse Lebanon.
Unable to sign up Giles, the Lebanese eventually settled with Mahram-Iran’s import Jackson Vroman, who already suited up for Lebanon in the 25th FIBA-Asia men’s basketball championship in Tianjin, China.

As part of its training for next year’s Asian Games, the RP-Smart Gilas team will be playing as a guest ballclub in the coming 35th season of the PBA, with Giles expected to suit up for the Nationals. – GMANews.TV

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With Giles, Team Pilipinas has certainly solidified the center position. I just wonder who his back-up is going to be.

Daunting the task may be, but Smart-Gilas Pilipinas coach Rajko Toroman is optimistic about his team’s chances of earning the lone berth at stake for Asia in the 2012 London Olympics.

“It’s not going to be easy, but we have to believe that we can do that (qualify for the Olympics)," said Toroman, whose young wards are preparing for the 2011 FIBA-Asia men's championship that serves as qualifier for the London Games.

"In the beginning it may be painful, we will lose some games, we will be sacrificing, we will be going through some difficult situations. But in the end, our goal is 2011 (FIBA-Asia meet) and we will do everything to put things together," he added.


Along with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Noli Eala, Toroman scouted the opposition during the last FIBA-Asia championship in Tianjin, China and noted that besides the host team, the Middle East countries, specifically Jordan, Lebanon and Iran, a squad he used to coach in the past, have slowly risen as emerging powers in Asian basketball.

The Iranians, now handled by another Serbian in Veselin Matic, routed Yi Jianlian and the Chinese national team, 70-52, in the championship game to retain their title.

“You saw that the competition was very strong in China. So it’s difficult now to judge about our chances," said Toroman, the architect of Iran’s rise to power in Asian basketball.

But Eala saw something positive in Iran’s big win over a country long been considered as the best in Asia.

“I think the biggest thing that gave me hope was when Iran beat China in their homecourt. If you look at Iran, it’s no bigger than us, except maybe for (center) Hamed Ehahadi who’s really the focal point. But everyone else, I guess, is comparable to us.

“But it’s not so much the height and the size of Iran that impresses me, but it’s their look of confidence and the look that they are having fun as a team….when you look at them, it’s like they’ve been living together the past 20 years. They just seem like they know one another very well," said Eala.

Also part of Eala’s optimism is the long-term program the basketball association has implemented through the formation of the Gilas team under Toroman.

“One thing that gives me a lot of hope is the fact that we have a program. We have an honest-to-goodness program to back up our desire to win in 2011," he said.

“The program consists of an international coach who knows what it takes to win in the international arena and has got the experience and credentials to show for it," Eala said, referring to Toroman.

Outside of the program and a coach knowledgeable in the international type of play, Eala also cited the full backing of corporate sponsor Smart, exposure to a lot of games and tournaments abroad, and the commitment of the players to the team as the other key components that hopefully would help Gilas Pilipinas achieve its goal in 2011.

“With all of these ingredients together, we are hopeful, we are optimistic that we have a program that is in place," Eala said.

Then again, the SBP official reiterated that it wouldn’t be easy for the Gilas squad.

“It’s gonna be very tough. Let’s be realistic and let’s manage everybody’s expectations. It’s not a shoo-in. It’s not a matter of showing up in 2011 and winning that slot," said Eala.

The 54-year-old Toroman noted how Iran also went through the same phase when he first handled the team in 2007.

But playing together all-year-round and acquiring experiences in the international level toughened the Iranians up and made them what they are right now – a two-time FIBA-Asia champion.

“We played many international games. Do you think that it was nice to lose 25 out of those 35 games? It was very tough for me, for the players. But we just believed we were sacrificing together. We just believed that these games will give us something new and something better in the future," he said. - GMANews.TV


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I like the optimism from Coach Toroman. If we are going to put forth effort in joining something, we should be in it to win it.

JAPETH AGUILAR, the No. 1 draft pick, reportedly would not be donning a Burger King (BK) jersey after all in the coming 35th season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The BusinessMirror learned that Aguilar’s negotiations with BK management on Wednesday bogged down. Aguilar reportedly does not chart his basketball career. Ex-pro Peter, his father, and Ronnie Nathanielsz, a newspaper columnist and sports broadcaster who is said to be his manager, do the negotiating.

The six-foot-10, 22-year-old Aguilar, the BusinessMirror learned further, would instead play for Smart Gilas, a developmental team being honed for the 2011 continental championship that would determine Asia’s representative to the 2012 London Olympics.

Interestingly, telecommunications tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, who funds the Smart Gilas team, is a part-owner of Burger King. He is also president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, which has the Smart Gilas in its long-term programs.

Written by Rick Olivares / Columnist

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It wont be good for BK if Japeth does end up joining Smart Gilas. They will have wasted their draft pick and along with it, a chance to solify their team.