Smart Gilas: The Second Time Around

We expected them to come back and last………, they did! I promised to be ready with everything and I was indeed very ready! The only difference was that, Kim and Camille weren’t able to watch with me. But they made a “dedication thingy” for Chris Tiu.

Very candid shot. counter clockwise from right: Marvin Hayes,
 Marcus Douthit, Mark Barroca and Chris Tiu

If you compare this team to the first one, it’s different. They already had a naturalized player in Marcus Douthit, Cliff Hodge was also there to replace Marcio Lassiter who was injured at that time and the built of their bodies were great. I was with my sister and my roommate. The excitement that I felt was still the same with the first one. While they were warming up, the first person I saw was Chris Tiu but the presence of someone from the Gilas bench shocked me the most. It’s Coach Charles Tiu, the brother of Chris Tiu. 

Smart Gilas 2011

Up Close and Personal with the Smart Gilas team

I am fan of UAAP/NCAA and PBA. These leagues are based in Manila, so I get contented with watching them on TV. An opportunity came when our National basketball team, Smart Gilas Pilipinas had a 2-day exhibition game in Cebu. I, with my sports buddies Kim and Camille didn’t have second thoughts of watching the game live. Who would not take that opportunity? You’re going to see up close and personal the most popular basketball players in college – Chris Tiu, JR Cawaling, Dylan Ababou, Mac Baracael, Mark Barroca, Aldrech Ramos, Japeth Aguilar, RJ Jazul, Greg Slaughter and of course the champion coach Rajko Toroman. Plus, I got to take a picture with Trish Roque, one of my favourite courtside reporters in the UAAP.

The only angle that we got for we were behind them.

 We were seated at the lower box section behind the bench of the Gilas team but we failed to take pictures with them. We were hesitant to approach them and ask for a picture, it was our first time and we were wearing our school uniforms. We just got contented of staring at their faces. Hahahaha!!!