SBP Executive Director Noli Eala

MANILA, Philippines -- They may have finished third in the highly competitive 21st Dubai Invitational, but Smart Gilas-Pilipinas has certainly shown they are a force to reckon with in the Asian region.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Noli Eala said the Philippine squad, which virtually played All-Filipino throughout the tournament, made an impact in the field that included Asian powerhouses Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Qatar.

“The team that we have, Chris [Tiu] and the rest of the team, showed that they have the greater heart. We almost went to the finals,” said Eala during Tuesday’s PSA forum at Shakey’s UN, Manila.

Eala said the impact was so strong that it has made Gilas one of the teams to watch out in future competitions.

“Hindi lang po paglalaro at score ang aming nabuo doon. Nabuo namin po ang takot sa kanila. Kahit ano hong laki nila, they were afraid of this team,” he said.

The Filipinos nearly made it to the finals, but ran out of gas against Lebanon, which lost to Iran in the finals. Despite the 3rd-place finish, Smart Gilas-Pilipinas is likely to compete again in Dubai next year.

“The organizers told us that they will ask us to return next year because we showed them what basketball is like,” said Eala.

Coach: 'It's not just the size'

For his part, Gilas coach Rajko Toroman had nothing but praises for his team.

“Can you imagine our players? They’re not professional players....And all the other teams have 3 imports!”

Smart Gilas-Pilipinas coach Rajko Toroman

said Toroman.

He said the Filipinos showed they have the heart and pride to play for their country.

“We didn’t have the size in Dubai but we won the bronze medal. There are other things that you’d need, not just the size, to win. It’s the pride, playing with heart, playing with discipline,” said the Serbian coach.

Sampson on his way out

The same, however, cannot be said about the team’s big man Jamal Sampson, who had been considered for naturalization.

The 6-foot-11 Sampson, who was picked by SBP to beef up the team’s inside game, was not able to deliver what was expected of him.

“He was injured, he is injured and he will be always injured…If you cannot go over this pain, you cannot contribute to this team, and you cannot lift the team to the level that they want. If he’s not motivated to play like other players, I think it’s a very big problem for the team,” said Toroman.

Eala said he will be conferring with Jamal’s handlers about where he stands with the team.

“The guy that we have to have in this team is the guy who would have the heart to play in this team for 80 games…It’s not only his basketball skills but also his commitment. I think he understands also what we are demanding. In the end, it would be mutually beneficial for everyone to see where we can move forward,” he said.