RP team hopefuls open US training with win

The Smart Gilas Pilipinas team scored a 94-93 triumph over a crack American Basketball Association (ABA) squad San Diego Surf on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) at the Hour Glass Arena of Miramar College in San Diego, California. The game was part of a series of tune-up matches by the RP national team aspirants, who are seeking a berth in the 2012 London Olympics, against ABA and US-based squads.

The Rajko Toroman-coached RP Youth 5 had five players scoring in double figures led by Mark Barroca’s 21 points. Mac Baracael, Marcio Lassiter, new recruit Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar added 17, 14, 13 and 10 makers each. The RP developmental squad is currently in the US to train at the world-renowned Abunassar Institute of Sports and play a series of exhibition matches against local American ball clubs from April 25 to 30. Early this year, the Gilas 5 finished third in the 21st Dubai International Basketball tournament and posted a 5-1 record in a six-game series against Australian teams. Smart-Gilas will next face the Los Angeles SLAM at the Hangar Athletic Xchange (HAX) in Hawthorne, California followed by a match against the Riverside Rainmakers at the Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California. They will meet Clayton Showtime on April 28. The national team aspirants take a break on April 29 and will their US trip against against South California ABA All Stars at the HAX on April 30. Other members of the Samahang Basektbol ng Pilipinas (SBP)–backed team are Chris Tiu, JV Casio, RJ Jazul, Chris Lutz, Dylan Ababou, Rey Guevarra, JR Cawaling, Aldrech Ramos, Magi Sison, Jason Ballesteros and Rabeh Al-Hussaini. – GMANews.TV