The Dream Match: Gilas I vs II

PG: Jimmy Alapag/ JVee Casio/ Mark Barroca vs L.A. Tenorio/ Sol Mercado/ Gabe Norwood


Advantage goes to Gilas I owing to Alapag and Casio’s marksmanship. They are able to spread the floor more than the current PG rotation who are mostly dribble-drivers by trade (except Tenorio). Of the lot, you’d say that I will have a hard time stopping II’s bigger and stronger guards, but this is a team game and PGs aren’t needed to drive inside in the FIBA games, they’re meant to shoot from deep and play safety on defense. You can argue for Gilas II by saying that Mercado and Norwood are best suited to play alongside Chan and David, but three points per trip is still three points per trip.

Adv. Gilas I


SG: Chris Tiu/ Chris Lutz vs Gary David/ Jeffrei Chan
Both Lutz and Tiu are solid players who can guard and shoot. Both are nowhere near the one-on-one skill level of David or the deadeye shooting of Chan (who is a vastly under-rated defender because he started knocking down so many threes this year that people forgot his lockdown FEU days). Biggest difference in both Gilas’ style of play? Gilas I would dump the ball to Douthit and work from there. With Gilas II, Douthit seems to be the 2nd option whenever David’s on the floor.

Adv. Gilas II

SF: Marcio Lassiter/ Mac Baracael/ Dylan Ababou vs Larry Fonacier/ Garvo Lanete/ Matt Rosser

While Fonacier and Lanete have proven quite serviceable so far, Lassiter and Baracael win this match-up via a landslide given their stronger builds which allows them to play tough defense on the bigger Western Asians. Plus, the 3rd string small forward, Ababou, would own Rosser all day. All day.

Adv. Gilas I

PF: Kelly Williams/ Ranidel de Ocampo/ Jason Ballesteros vs Ranidel de Ocampo/ Rico Villanueva

This writer is not a fan of the current RDO we’ve been seeing so far in the 34th Jones Cup. Timid, slow-footed, can’t play defense or stretch the floor. This is a far cry from his earlier stint wherein he was the perfect complement to big man Douthit. Former PBA MVP Kelly Williams is also being missed, since most of the defensive assignments that he’s sure to have gotten are going to the skinnier Norwood (who’s managed so far). That, plus we need someone dunking on these fools.

Adv. Gilas I

C: Marcus Douthit/ Asi Taulava/ Japeth Aguilar vs Marcus Douthit/ Sonny Thoss
Douthit carried Gilas I to a decent finish in most of the tournaments it played in. Before him, there was a skinny joke of an import who was no better than the little developed Aguilar. This time around, Douthit is still putting up double-doubles but not the way you’d want him to. Prior to the win over Japan where he put up 26 and 13, the naturalized center was averaging around 12 and 10 a night. The 12 points is acceptable given the better scorers he has at his disposal nowadays, but the 10 rebounds? We’re not even playing zone defense (which makes it tough for rebounders since they’re taken out of position), so Big Daddy needs to get to work.

Adv. Gilas I

Coach Rajko Toroman vs Coach Chot Reyes
For all the (well-deserved) hype that surrounded Toroman, Reyes has proven his doubters (sadly, some Filipino) wrong. Reyes has stepped up and brought his “dribble drive” offense and switching defense to the international scene and is proving that “YES, THE FILIPINO CAN!” Of course, he learned a lot of his tricks from Toroman and maybe it would be wise if he “borrowed” the double high screen for his guards but for the most part—Reyes has been winning behind yet another hastily assembled, rag-tag Pilipinas select team (with the help of assistants like Ryan Gregorio and Jong Uichico of course). Reyes has managed to squeeze out the best from Gabe Norwood, and has used his rotations well (that Lanete pick was a stroke of genius). The same cannot be said for Toroman who failed to make use (or even help develop) of Aguilar and even Ababou.

Adv. Gilas II

Author’s note:

Wow. Didn’t really expect Gilas I to win over II on most of the match-ups. Which team do you think is better and how can Gilas II improve going to the FIBA tourneys?