Let's have fun: Smart Gilas' BEST 5 VS PBA 2011 Mythical 5

Now that the PBA votes are in and we have seen Smart Gilas at about 80% of its full potential (with PBA recruits Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams to make up the missing 20% in the upcoming FIBA Asia tournament), let's have a fantasy hoops match between the two "teams."

Please take note that I took guys who I perceived as the BEST (the ones from Gilas anyway) so that means, no Chris Tiu (sorry Tiu fans). The guy plays with a lot of heart, but is not even the 3rd best shooting guard on the Gilas rotation (1 Lassiter, 2 Hontiveros, 3 Lutz, 4 Tiu). Why he is playing as much as he does, I leave to you.

Comment all you want, but be sure to leave your names! Sayang naman.

And yes, I am bored. Not that I don't have a lot on my plate at work, but because I'm still waiting for my promo-writing "Delight in scrumptious..." creative juices to kick in.

PG JV Casio VS Jimmy Alapag
This one is going to be a battle. Alapag has built a reputation as a pass-first guard who has absolutely no problems with taking over close games. Always a threat to pull up from DEEP, the "Mighty Mouse" will probably go with the playmaker role on this one. That, plus he's not as quick on his feet as he used to. Casio on the other hand, has the license to shoot from almost anywhere and freelance on offense. Gilas' head coach Rajko Toroman also makes sure that his ballhandlers are protected by screens set from both sides by his bigs (watch replays of their games in the Jones Cup and you'd see this pattern over and over) which could pose as a huge problem for Alapag who's no longer a spring chicken (read: fighting over multiple screens every time down the floor is flat-out exhausting).

Adv. Casio's young legs and the big screens that Alapag will have to hurdle 

SG Marcio Lassiter VS Mark Caguioa
An explosive match-up only because Lassiter plays the pre-flopmaster/pre-Ginebra Ronald Tubid/ DLSU era Mac Cardona type of defense that Caguioa absolutely gets annoyed with. While I still see Caguioa being incensed enough to flat out destroy Lassiter (and make faces at his young defender) one-on-one, Lassiter has the tools to make Caguioa work on defense as well and will probably be able to slash into the paint from time to time. What sets them apart is Caguioa's still quick first-step (not as quick as before, but still damn fast) and added bulk which Lassiter doesn't enjoy. Think Kobe Bryant versus Raja Bell 2007.

Adv. Caguioa and the thousands... and thousands of Ginebra fans which will have a new guy to jeer

SF Mac Baracael VS Arwind Santos
This match-up will depend solely on Santos' mentality coming into the game. Will he play the "skinny dominant, all-around freak-of-nature" that we love, or will he be the "three-point shot jacking, looking for an NBA recruit in the rafters guy we saw during the FIBA 2009 tournament?" Santos has the game that can school a young buck like Baracael. Problem here is that, Baracael is no pushover figuratively and literally. One, we is bigger than Santos and two, plays with more fire. And if Toroman ever gets his dream line-up and moves Baracael to his natural position, then that would be Gilas' best team bar none.

Adv. Baracael's pride, desire and intensity (read: angas at yabang) over Santos' talents.


PF Japeth Aguilar VS Kelly Williams
The Filipino pogo stick versus the Machine Gun. Okay, we will have to come up with a better name for Aguilar but you get the picture right? He dunks, dunks and dunks. He can't post up. His jumper needs work. And other than playing exceptional help defense, is a dud one-on-one versus Asia's quality bigs. Good for him though, that he's only going against Williams who is just a better version of the 6"9 beanpole. Williams also doesn't know how to play in the post, and relies more on putbacks and transition offense. Put a guy in front of him and he's bound to dribble off his own foot.

Adv. While they both can jump straight out of SMART Araneta and onto another planet, Williams wins based on discipline and experience. Great example would be, KW21 won't bite on silly fakes 9 out of 10 times.

C Marcus Douthit VS Sonny Thoss
After what we've seen in the recently concluded Jones Cup tournament, it's pretty safe to say that of the competing teams, Douthit is the 2nd best big man in there behind Iran's Hamed Haddadi. That's not a knock on Chinese Taipei's Tseng Wen Ting, but Douthit's game is reminiscent of Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom (minus Odom's point guard capabilities of course). What Douthit doesn't seem to have however is power, but given his size and skill, he will still be too much for "The Boss."

Adv. Douthit, who will probably drop a 30-20 stat line on Thoss.


6th man: Andy Barroca VS Jason Castro
Speed versus speed. Although, Barroca seems to have slowed down a bit (either to injury or the weight he put on) which will play heavily in Castro's favor. Of the two, Castro is the better scorer while Barroca is the better point guard. When matched up, Castro's number will definitely be called versus the smaller Barroca.

Adv. Castro is a threat to put Barroca in foul trouble early and that will be the story of the game.

Coaching: Rajko Toroman's "Euro-type spread the floor, perimeter-oriented" game VS Chot Reyes' "run and gun, hustle at all times" style
Adv. Toroman, who will probably have his wings stationed at the post while his two guards and Douthit dissect the PBA's defense. Since Reyes' teams relies on aggressive help defense and looks for turnovers, it won't be a surprise to see wide open threes coming from Lassiter, Casio and Baracael which will frustrate the PBA players to no end and cost them the game.

I see Gilas winning by a wide margin despite being a class lower talent-wise due to its overall team discipline and philosophy of looking for the open shot instead of relying on iso-plays.

Sounds fun right? I should definitely be a WWE booker. Or a PBA Fantasy owner.