AFTER JONES CUP TITLE SMART GILAS GEARS FOR FIBA-ASIA
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 27 Aug 2012
It was a day before the National Heroes? Day and LA Tenorio led the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team to victory against the bigger USA team. The Alaska star sank the most crucial baskets to usher the team?s 76-75 victory to win the 34th William Jones Cup title for the Philippines for the first time since 1998.
Tenorio scored 20 points, and most importantly the go-ahead basket with 17 seconds left in the game for the Team Pilipinas to the win. The Americans were still leading, 59-46, with a minute left in the third quarter before the Philippines forged a 15-0 blast led by Tenorio to place SMART-Gilas in the driver?s seat since the first quarter. He was awarded as the tournament Most Valuable Player.
PBA commissioner Chito Salud watched the PBA assembled national team in its title run and he considered the league?s move toward a more physical game as one advantage for the players? stiffness. ?I believe the PBA brand of basketball has toughened up our boys for international competition,? said Salud. Despite the victory, he still wants to improve the competency of the SMART-Gilas national team, especially in their mid- to long-range shooting and their free throws.
Nonetheless, Salud articulated his jubilation over the title. ?Our country has just taken a giant step toward reestablishing our rightful place among the top powers in Asia,? he said. ?I am extremely happy for the boys and the fans and proud of Philippine basketball.?
Barely without rest, the squad is scheduled to compete in the FIBA Asia Cup, known as the Stankovic Cup, on September 14 to 22 in Tokyo, Japan. The tournament will serve as the qualifier for the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, where three slots to the 2014 FIBA World Cup will be disputed. Looking beyond the Jones Cup, the Stankovic Cup will test the development of the national squad which is looking for a place in world basketball tournament for the first time since 1978.
The winning Jones Cup lineup included PBA players Ranidel De Ocampo, Larry Fonacier, Sonny Thoss, LA Tenorio, Mac Baracael, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood, Enrico Villanueva, Gary David, Jay-R Reyes, and Sol Mercado plus naturalized center Marcus Douthit, former San Beda sharpshooter Garvo Lanete, and Filipino-American point guard Matthew Rosser.
Other players in the national pool are Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes, Jimmy Alapag, Jared Dillinger, Kelly Williams, and JVee Casio. SMART-Gilas coach Chot Reyes could also add more players for the national squad.
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