Fresh from an impressive third place finish at the 21st Dubai International Basketball Tournament on January this year, the Gilas Pilipinas National Basketball Team “supported by its media partner, GMA Pinoy TV “ is set to conquer the Land Down Under in a six-game tourney against different Australian ball clubs from March 13 to 22.
This is part of the national team’s training program in their quest for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The Pinoy cagers will first go head-to-head with the U19 (Under 19) Australian team at 7 p.m. on March 15 at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Hall in Canberra. The following day, at 7 p.m., the team will face the AIS team. The two teams will once more face off in the Pinoys’ third game on March 17, 7 p.m., at the AIS Hall. The action continues on March 18 as the team faces the Canberra Gunners at 7 p.m. in a venue yet to be confirmed.
On March 19, the team leaves for Sydney where they are set to face the NSW Institute of Sport team at the King’s School at 7 p.m. Gilas will then play the Sydney City team, set on March 21, 3 p.m., at the Alexandria Basketball Stadium, for the last of its six-game Australian tourney.
Led by head coach Rajko Toroman, the SBP “Gilas Pilipinas National Basketball Team is composed of top collegiate hoop stars Chris Tiu, Mark Andy Barroca, JV Casio, RJ Jazul, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Dylan Ababou, Mac Baracael, Rey Guevarra, JR Cawaling, Aldrech Ramos, Magi Sison, Japeth Aguilar, Jason Ballesteros, Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Greg Slaughter.
Gilas’ media partner, GMA Pinoy TV, is the flagship international channel of leading Philippine TV Station GMA Network.