INSIDE SPORTS - SMART GILAS THE PACQUIAO OF BASKETBALL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 03 Jun 2011
The last time we cheered lustily for our national basketball team was when the brilliant American coach Ron Jacobs led Ambassador Danding Cojuangco?s national team to an epic overtime victory over a mighty United States squad in the Jones Cup in Taipei in 1985, 26 long years ago.
For the biggest crowd that showed up so far at the Philsports Arena (ULTRA) for a game in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, the Smart Gilas victory over one of the strongest teams in Asia, Jordan, reinforced by the bull-strong American import Jameel Watkins, was an almost incomparable emotional ride.
There is something about a country?s national team that brings out the fervor in an individual and our Smart Gilas team has shown a remarkable capacity to excite their countrymen who have readily embraced them now that they are not playing Barangay Ginebra, the unmistakable darlings of Philippine basketball.
The character of the Smart Gilas team built around a core of young men from the collegiate ranks who are ready to sacrifice themselves against much bigger, stronger and talented foreign teams is simply amazing. How can you not love the courageous Filipino hearts of JV Casio, Chris Tiu, Mark Baracael who despite the smallness of his size for the position he plays more than compensates with his willingness to battle fiercely. There was the resolute defense of Mark Barroca, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz and lanky Japeth Aguilar who may have been out of sync in the Jordan game but came up big in earlier encounters. Naturalized American Marcus Douthit gave it his all and pleased congressman Robbie Puno, his godfather in Congress no end. Robbie, a longtime and respected friend who loves basketball knew deep down in his heart he had done the right thing in helping steer Douthit?s naturalization through.
Douthit deserved the applause he received from Filipino fans but the two men who deserved it the most on this occasion were birthday boy ? or should we say man ? Dondon Hontiveros who celebrated his birthday by giving his countrymen and women a gift to share and cheer about.
And then there was the indestructible Asi Taulava. Let no one ever doubt that Asi?s big heart is at least half Filipino because only a player with the courageous heart of a Filipino could have pushed back the passage of time to play with the rare intensity that he showed in full measure. When he was not on the court he was standing on the sidelines encouraging his teammates and enticing the crowd to cheer them on.
Let us also not forget Jimmy Alapag and Kelly Williams who may not be playing but sit on the bench and inspire the members of the team they will join for the FIBA Asia Men?s Championship which will serve as the 2012 London Olympics qualifier.
Finally, coach Rajko Toroman. He is nowhere near the flamboyant and stylish Ron Jacobs but he?s got a philosophy of his own which is relative to the manner in which the international game is played today.
His greatest asset is his faith in his players ability to overcome all disadvantages with their quickness and fighting spirit more than anything, in addition to their innate natural talent.
Rajko provided us all with a master-class in tactical basketball and even the timing of his substitutions was impeccable.
Its been a long time since we?ve seen a national team in any sport bring out the fervor of the Filipino?s spirit. The only one who has bound us together through recent years has been pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. In a sense, Smart Gilas is the Pacquiao of basketball, bringing down much bigger men and anchoring its achievements on speed, explosiveness and indomitable courage.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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