Smart-Gilas Pilipinas Schedule at 24th Dubai International Basketball Tournament

Monday, January 7, 2013

Smart-Gilas Pilipinas Schedule at 24th Dubai International Basketball Tournament

The SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team will begin its campaign in the 24th Dubai International Basketball Tournament against Mouttahed Tripoli of Lebanon on January 11 at the Al Ahli gym in United Arab Emirates.

The national team is bracketed with Tripoli along with host Al Ahli and Sporting Aramex of Jordan in Group B of the annual Middle Eastern competition.

Mouttahed Tripoli will be bannered by American imports Kevin Houston and Marc Saylers and Lebanon national team standout Rony Fahed.

SMART-Gilas will then face last year’s runner-up Al Ahli on January 12. Al Ahli will have three reinforcements in Leemire Goldwire, LeRoy Hurd and former NBA campaigner Cheikh Samb.

The Filipinos will finish their group campaign against Sporting Amarex on January 14. The club team from Jordan will have Alpha Bangura, a former Air 21 Express reinforcement, Darrin Dorsey and Palestinian Sani Sakkakini as imports.

Group A is composed of Al Riyadi and Sagesse both from Lebanon, UAE national team and Almaty of Kazakhstan.

Reyes said the team decided not to field in imports for the coming Dubai tournament so that players will learn more from the experience.

“This is a learning and preparatory tournament. Kung may import tayo, hindi makakalaro at matutuo mga bata natin,” Reyes wrote on his Twitter account.

Reyes and company will leave for Dubai on Tuesday. He will be assisted by Jong Uichico with other members of his staff — Nash Racela and son Josh Reyes — are still finishing commitments with Talk ‘N Text in the 2013 PBA Philippine Cup finals against Rain or Shine.

Leading the team are naturalized player Marcus Douthit, Greg Slaughter, Jay-R Reyes, KG Canaleta, Ronjay Buenafe, Jake Pascual, Ronald Pascual, Kevin Alas, RR Garcia, Garvo Lanete, and Filipino-Americans Isaac Holstein, Matthew Rosser and Justin Melton.