Gilas plays full roster in tune-up

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas, playing for the first time with its three PBA reinforcements, put up a worthy stand before bowing to the Guandong Tigers, 75-87, in a tune-up game three days before the start of the 16th Asian Games basketball competition Saturday in Guangzhou, China.

“Coach Rajko Toroman was pleased on what he saw in the team’s first game with a full lineup,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala.

The Guandong Tigers team is a topnotch Chinese ball club with tough imports in NBA veterans Fred Jones and David Harrison.

The Nationals tested their mettle against the Tigers yesterday in Dongguan City, 70 kilometers south east of Guangzhou where the Asiad basketball competition will be played in four different venues.

Smart Gilas will be up against the Dongguan Leopards in another tune-up game today, hoping to be tested by the home squad reinforced by imports Jackson Vroman and Josh Emmanuel Akognon.

Toroman is hopeful the two friendlies help the team prepare for its knockout game with Kuwait at the start of Asiad competition Saturday.

The Nationals need to get past the Kuwaitis to join seeded teams China, Iran, Jordan, Korea, Qatar, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan in the main draw.

India, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, North Korea, Turkmenistan and Mongolia are other teams going through knockout matches.

The main draw will be composed of 12 teams (eight seeded and four wild cards) divided into two brackets.

Should it hurdle Kuwait, Smart Gilas gets a seat in Group E with Iran, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Qatar and the winner in the India-Afghanistan KO game.

Assuming they make the main draw, the Nationals tangle with Iran on Nov. 16, Qatar on No. 17, Japan on Nov. 19, either Afghanistan or India on Nov. 21 and Chinese Taipei on Nov. 22.

Smart Gilas, with PBA reinforcements Asi Taulava, Kelly Williams and Sol Mercado, arrived in China Tuesday.

The Smart Gilas-Guandong tune-up marked the first time Williams and Mercado played with the Nationals.

The three PBA players have regularly practiced with the team only this month.