TOUGH TEST AWAITS SMART GILAS IN 2011 JONES CUP

As one of their final warm-up tourneys toward the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifiers this coming September in Wuhan, China, the Smart Gilas national team will see action anew in the 2011 Jones Cup Invitational Championship in Taipei from August 6 to 14. The Nationals placed fourth in last year’s edition behind Iran, Lebanon and Japan.  Five PBA players are expected to beef up Smart Gilas in Taipei namely Asi Taulava, Dondon Hontiveros, Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and Ranidel De Ocampo. Smart Gilas opens up its bid in the nine-nation meet against perennial Asian powerhouse Jordan on August 6. Herewith is the complete schedule of the 2011 Jones Cup Invitational Championship:

 Aug. 6

13:00 South Africa-Iran

15:00 Korea-UAE

17:00 Philippines-Jordan

19:00 Opening ceremony

19:30 Taiwan-Japan

Aug. 7

13:00 South Africa-Korea

15:00 UAE-Philippines

17:00 Japan-Malaysia

19:00 Iran-Taiwan

Aug. 8

13:00 UAE-Japan

15:00 Jordan-Iran

17:00 Korea-Malaysia

19:00 Taiwan-South Africa

Aug. 9

13:00 Iran-UAE

15:00 Japan-Jordan

17:00 Philippines-Korea

19:00 Malaysia-Taiwan

Aug. 10

13:00 UAE-Malaysia

15:00 Philippines-South Africa

17:00 Iran-Japan

19:00 Korea-Jordan

Aug. 11

13:00 South Africa-UAE

15:00 Malaysia-Iran

17:00 Japan-Philippines

19:00 Taiwan-Jordan

Aug. 12

13:00 Philippines-Malaysia

15:00 South Africa-Jordan

17:00 Japan-Korea

19:00 Taiwan-UAE

Aug. 13

13:00 Malaysia-South Africa

15:00 UAE-Jordan

17:00 Korea-Iran

19:00 Philippines-Taiwan

Aug. 14

13:00 Jordan-Malaysia

15:00 South Africa-Japan

17:00 Iran-Philippines

19:00 Taiwan-Korea

Closing ceremony

Venue: Sinjhuang Stadium, New Taipei City

FINAL NOTES ON THE 22ND FIBA-ASIA CHAMPIONS CUP MANILA

Despite losing the battle for third place against Al Rayyan of Qatar, 71-64, Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas were able to better their seventh-place finished in last year’s edition. 

***** 

Smart Gilas shot a very poor 3-of-23 from the three-point arc against Qatar. National head coach Rajko Toroman must immediately address this problem as outside shooting is very vital in playing the zone in the coming FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifiers in Wuhan, China on September.

***** 

Wonder why Toroman did not utilized Japeth Aguilar in the homestretch of their game against Qatar. With their outside shots not clicking, Aguilar could have been a factor inside the painted area.

***** 

Marcus Douthit has improved a lot offensively for Smart Gilas. He never averaged in double digit in points during his US Collegiate career while playing for Providence. He led the Gilas squad with 28 points and 17 rebounds in the losing battle against Al Rayyan squad.

*****

Leslie Chauncey, one of the two imports of Al Rayyan, impressed a lot of pundits with his consistent backcourt play. Chauncey could be a good choice of an import in the coming PBA Governor’s Cup set to start on Saturday, June 11.

*****

Fadi El Khatib of Al Riyadi Beirut can now really be considered a legend in Asian basketball, after pouring in 41 big points in leading the Lebanese club to the championship over the dethroned champions, Mahram of Iran, 91-82 in a very exciting finals match. Many wonders why he did not make it to the Sacramento Kings or the Los Angles Clippers final roster in 2003.

*****

Most of the Filipino fans decided to stay at the PhilSports Arena right after the Smart Gilas game to watch the finale between Al Riyadi and Mahram and they got their money’s worth. They become witnesses to a truly first-class international game.

*****

One outstanding player in the Mahram squad was Samad Nikkhah Bahrami. The well-built forward was the most consistent player of the Iranian club throughout the tournament. He top scored anew for Mahram during the finals with 28 points.

*****

The Al Riyadi Beirut squad for winning the 22nd FIBA-Asia Champions Cup got a $200,000 bonus from team owner Hisham Jaroudi, who flew in 15 hours to catch his team's  championship game against Mahram of Iran.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO PASIG CITY

Finally, big time international hoop championship returns to Manila after a six-year absence. The 22nd FIBA Asia Champions Cup reels off tomorrow at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City with ten countries vying for the prestigious title of this annual event. Mahram of Iran won last year’s championship over host Al Rayyan of Qatar. This year’s edition will see both teams landing in the same group during the preliminary round. Group A will be made up of Duhok (Iraq), ASU (Jordan), Kuala Lumpur Dragons (Malaysia), host Smart Gilas Nationals and Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia). Mahram and Al Rayyan leads Group B with Al Riyadi (Lebanon), Al Jala'a (Syria) and Al Shabab (United Arab Emirates). Imports seeing action are Darren Keely and Vladislav Dragajlovic of Al Ittihad, Samaki Walker and Jamaal Miller of Al Jala’a, Chauncey Leslie and Ousseynou Ndiaye of Al Rayyan, Loren Woods and William Carl Pharis of Al Riyadi, Courtney Fields of Al Shabab, Ryan Forehan-Kelly and ex-PBA import Jameel Watkins of ASU, Marcus Morrison and Christopher Martin Ayer of KL Dragons, ex-Smart Gilas stalwart CJ Giles of Duhok and Christopher Williams and Samb Chikh of the defending champions Mahram. Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas will be bannered by naturalized citizen Marcus Douthit, PBA standouts Asi Taulava and Dondon Hontiveros and regulars Chris Tiu, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz and Mark Barroca. The Gilas squad are setting their sights on the championship this year following a dismal 7th place finished last year. Games will be shown locally on IBC-13 via TV 5 Sports. The following is the complete schedule of the preliminary games:

28/05/2011 1 1400 PhilSports PR – A Duhok (IRQ) vs. ASU (JOR)

28/05/2011 2 1600 PhilSports PR – B Al Jala'a (SYR) vs. Mahram (IRI)

28/05/2011 3 1800 PhilSports PR – A Smart Gilas (PHI) vs. Al Ittihad (KSA)

28/05/2011 4 2000 PhilSports PR – B Al Shabab (UAE) vs.Al Riyadi (LIB)

29/05/2011 5 1400 PhilSports PR – A Al Ittihad (KSA) vs. Duhok (IRQ)

29/05/2011 6 1600 PhilSports PR – B Al Rayyan (QAT) vs. Al Jala'a (SYR)

29/05/2011 7 1800 PhilSports PR – A KL Dragons (MAS) vs. Smart Gilas (PHI)

29/05/2011 8 2000 PhilSports PR – B Mahram (IRI) vs.  Al Shabab (UAE)

30/05/2011 9 1400 PhilSports PR – A ASU (JOR) vs. Al Ittihad (KSA)

30/05/2011 10 1600 PhilSports PR – A Duhok (IRQ) vs. KL Dragons (MAS)

30/05/2011 11 1800 PhilSports PR – B Al Riyadi (LIB) vs. Mahram (IRI)

30/05/2011 12 2000 PhilSports PR – B Al Shabab (UAE) vs. Al Rayyan (QAT)

31/05/2011 13 1400 PhilSports PR – B Al Jala'a (SYR) vs. Al Shabab (UAE)

31/05/2011 14 1600 PhilSports PR – A KL Dragons (MAS) vs. ASU (JOR)

31/05/2011 15 1800 PhilSports PR – B Al Rayyan (QAT) vs. Al Riyadi (LIB)

31/05/2011 16 2000 PhilSports PR – A Smart Gilas (PHI) vs. Duhok (IRQ)

01/06/2011 17 1400 PhilSports PR – A Al Ittihad (KSA) vs. KL Dragons (MAS)

01/06/2011 18 1600 PhilSports PR – B Mahram (IRI) vs. Al Rayyan (QAT)

01/06/2011 19 1800 PhilSports PR – B Al Riyadi (LIB) vs. Al Jala'a (SYR)

01/06/2011 20 2000 PhilSports PR – A ASU (JOR) vs. Smart Gilas (PHI)

JAPAN DISASTER LEAVES TOKYO APACHE IN TROUBLE

Following last Friday’s devastating earthquake in Japan, the pro basketball club Tokyo Apache faces uncertainty in the ongoing season of the BJ league. The Apache are currently occupying third spot (behind Hammatsu and Sebdai 89ers) with a 19-15 win-loss mark. All the American staff of the Apache, from front office to coaches to players are all planning to leave the country immediately due to fear of widespread health risks, which was further aggravated by the Fukushima nuclear plant's radiation leak problems, according to the Japan Times.

“The Tokyo Apache's season isn't officially over, but the team's American players and head coach, Bob Hill, were busy making plans to leave the country as soon as possible, The Japan Times has learned. With the uncertainty of widespread health risks due to the Fukushima nuclear plant's radiation leak problems in the aftermath of Friday's devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, the Apache's foreign personnel, including Hill, general manager Conor Neu and players Robert Swift (ex-NBA center), Mike Chappell, Justin Johnson, Jeremy Tyler (teenage NBA prospect and projected second-round draft pick), Byron Eaton and Darin Satoshi Maki were on the verge of leaving the country as of press time on Wednesday afternoon.”

STEVE FRANCIS BRINGS HIS BAD BOY ACT TO CHINA

Former NBA headcase Steve Francis will soon bade goodbye to the Beijing Shougang Ducks after seeing action for only 14 minutes in four games in the Chinese pro league. Attitude problem and poor physical shape are the main reasons why the Ducks decided to cut the 6-3 three-time NBA All-Star and former Rookie of the Year awardee. Francis refuses to practice hard with the Ducks to the dismay of Beijing coach Min Lulei. Min is up in arms dealing with the antics of Francis, who in one game while sitting on the bench pointed a dirty finger sign to the referee which drew a severe warning from the league for his uncivilized behavior. Francis posted averages of 0.5 ppg and 0.7 rpg in his short stint with the Ducks. Min has seen enough of the ex-University of Maryland standout, according to NiuBBall.com.

“Yesterday, the whole team practiced, but only [Francis] went to go spend Christmas with his family. This afternoon I was still speaking with him, I wanted to find him a conditioning coach to work him out for a bit.  But he said to me that he needs to play in games, not practice. 

“I don’t know if other coaches would give him the minutes he wants, but the whole team has been working hard in practice. Actually, I had planned to let him play today but the first quarter we got down by too much. I waited another day or two to talk to you guys [the media] again.  Right now I don’t know how Francis sees it all… Today we got a big win, but I’m in a very bad mood.”

TABUSE REMAINS POPULAR AS EVER IN JAPAN

Spitfire Yuta Tabuse during
his Phoenix Suns days.

It has been six years since Yuta Tabuse became the first player from Japan to see action in the NBA while playing action for the Phoenix Suns. To date, the diminutive guard from Yokohama remains the most popular hoops player in his homeland. The 5-9 former Brigham Young University (Hawaii) standout played a total of four games with the Suns during the 2004-05 season with a scoring average of 1.8 points per game. Tabuse, who currently plays for Tochigi Brex in the Japan Pro League, also saw action in the NBA D-League with Albuquerque and Anaheim and played 117 total games with averages of 11.4 ppg and 6.3 apg. Jason Rabedeaux recently wrote about the Elvis Presley-like popularity of Tabuse and the current state of Japan basketball in his Hoopshype Blog.

“Basketball in Japan is playing catch-up. The last time the Japanese National Team competed in the Olympics was 1976 in Montreal (finishing 11th). And while Yao and Yi Jianlian have each made incredible NBA impacts for China, only one Japanese player, Yuta Tabuse, has appeared in an NBA game. Tabuse played four times for the Phoenix Suns during the 2004-2005 regular season before being waived. Tabuse is currently our starting point guard for Tochigi Brex and although his regular season stint with the Suns was brief, he still enjoys Elvis Presley-like popularity in Japan.”

14 YEAR-OLD INDIAN KID IN NBA RADAR

Satnam Singh Bhamara

Don’t look now, but another highly-touted prospect from Asia is fast emerging as the next Yao Ming in the NBA. No, he is not a Chinese like Yao and Yi Jianlian but a native of Punjab, India. Meet Satnam Singh Bhamara, who stands seven feet tall and still growing at his tender age of 14 years old. He is big and athletic and his NBA dreams are very much alive. Troy Justice, NBA Director of Basketball Operations, is very much impressed and see a lot of upside with Satnam's raw talents, which he saw personally in action in India, according to NBA Fanhouse.

“Satnam could one day do the same thing for India that Yao Ming did in China -- put the spotlight on basketball through an entire country. It really could be something. First time I saw him play, he was wearing shoes that were falling apart. The seams had split, and he was coming right out of them. That's all he had. He was growing so fast. We tried to help him get shoes. I've heard people talk, but we're not sure they know how big he'll get.”

BREAKTHROUGH FOR ASIAN HOOPS

No other than the greatest basketball player of all-time, Michael Jordan, foresees a very bright future for Asian basketball. With the influx of talents now strutting their wares in the NBA like Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets, Yi Jian Lian of the Washington Wizards and the latest sensation in the Bay Area, Jeremy Lin of the Golden State Warriors, Jordan thinks it has affected the continent in a positive way with regards to the hoops game. He refers to the continuing globalization of the NBA which has contributed to the rise of talents in the Asian region. And he expects more to come in the near future.

“I think Asia…. It will continue to grow with the talent that’s in the league now and the other players are going to want to do the things Yao Ming is doing. I think it’s going to be very positive.

“Those guys (up-and-coming Asian players) have started to show that the game has started to expand toward Asia.”

SMUSH WANTS BACK

Despite the love for playing as an import in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Smush Parker wants to be back soon in the NBA, according to the New York Post . Parker had spent the last two seasons strutting his wares for the Guandong Southern Tigers Hongyuan wherein he posted norms of 18.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 5.7 apg in 43 games last season. The 6-4, ex-Fordham University standout is a five-year NBA journeyman with career averages of 9.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg and 2.9 apg in 274 total games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers. Parker last played in the NBA during the 2007-08 season.

“I’m used to being away from home, but it was an adjustment because I wasn’t able to talk to anybody. At the same time I had a job to do. It’s about playing at the top level of basketball that there is. I feel like I can play at that level and I’ve proven myself. It’s just about trying to get back. I’m just going to let the chips fall where they may. I’m going to end up at somebody’s veteran camp and try to make the team. If I can’t get back,  I am content with going overseas.”

FORMER US PREP STAR TO PLAY IN JBL

Is 19 year-old Jeremy Tyler the second coming of Brandon Jennings? The former San Diego High School star has signed to play with JBL’s Tokyo Apache beginning next season. Tyler, who had a disappointing stint in the Israeli League, is the second US high school star to play overseas after Jennings, who is now with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. Apache coach Bob Hill, who is a former NBA coach, is ecstatic on Tyler’s joining of the Japanese pro club. The 6-11 Tyler was  labeled a bust when he saw action for 10 games with Maccabi Haifa, wherein he submitted norms of 2.1 ppg and 1.9 rpg. Tyler is expected to join the 2011 NBA rookie draft.

"We are extremely excited for Jeremy to join our team in Tokyo. His athleticism and size will be a major presence in our frontcourt this season."