THERE were no customary hellos yet between members of Gilas Pilipinas and their former coach Rajko Toroman of Serbia.
Only Gilas assistant coach Jong Uichico had crossed paths with Toroman, whose Jordan team share the same flats with the Filipino athletes at Bldg. 603 of the 17th Incheon Asian Games Athletes Village, according to Chot Reyes, Gilas’ head coach who succeeded Toroman.
After his stint as Gilas Pilipinas coach, Toroman served as team consultant for the Barako Bull and then for Petron Blaze before he accepted the coaching job for Jordan.Toroman is a hot item in international basketball. He was responsible for Iran’s qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He also led the Philippines to 4th place in the 2011 Fiba Asia Championship.
That achievement was surpassed two years later by Reyes who steered an all-professional team to a runner-up finish behind Iran in Manila. That second place finish gave the Philippines a ticket to the recent Fiba World Championship in Spain where the Filipino cagers logged a win in five games and earned the respect of their international rivals.
“Hindi pa kami nagkikita e. As of now, first among our order of business is to scout our rivals and practice,” Reyes said.
Gilas had their first practice session on Saturday at the Song Do High School gym, several kilometers away from the Athletes’ Village.
Team official Rogelio Tulabot described their first practice as trouble-free, except for the players’ unfamiliarity with the official ball, which he said is “hard, slippery and not too bouncy.”
“Kapag tinamaan ka ng bola, masakit. Matigas e,” Tulabot said. “But knowing our players, they’ll get used to it in time for sure.”
Another concern for the players are the regular-sized beds which are short for their height.
“Pero na-solve na namin yun. Ibinaba na lang naming ang kama sa sahig, kasya na kami,” Gilas forward Japeth Aguilar said.
Gilas’ real concerns would start on Tuesday when they battle the winner between Kazakhstan and whichever team would win between India and Saudi Arabia.
Kazakhstan defeated Palestine, 72-50, in the qualifying for Group B. It will face the winner between India and Saudi Arabia, whose game was still being played at press time.
The top team in Group B will then face Gilas Pilipinas, which is behind Fiba Asia Championship tormentor Iran in Group E.
Gilas only need a win in Group E to advance to the quarterfinals. PNA