We’re not a dirty team, says Gilas coach

It took several minutes before Pilipinas-Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman entered the PBA Press Room. Even with his team winning 100-88 over Barangay Ginebra in Game 3 of the best-of-five semifinals series to stay alive, Toroman came out of the dugout and assumed a serious mood the moment he faced sportswriters.

And with the series reduced to a 2-1 edge in favor of the Gin Kings, the battle for the last finals berth also turned out to be a “word war" for both coaches. Two days after Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico described Pilipinas-Smart Gilas’ brand of play as “highly physical," his counterpart, Rajko Toroman, defended his team. “We were able to show the entire tournament that we can compete in the PBA. These guys (Gilas players) know how to play basketball. But what made me proud really is the sportsmanship we showed and no one can say that we play dirty, that we are arrogant. We just want to play basketball using our skills. I don’t know if people are recognizing that," said Toroman during the post-game interview. “The coach of Ginebra said Smart Gilas is playing physical. We are a less-fouling team. He (Uichico) said it’s not logical for a less-fouling team like Smart Gilas to play physical. For me, it’s logical. I don’t want to talk too much because the Commissioner might punish me. I would say that our players, who are playing for the national team, are respecting our opponents. We don’t make one single move to hurt any of them. You be the judge," he added. Toroman’s comments spiced up an already interesting series featuring the most popular club in the league seeking to relive its lost glory against a national squad attempting to become only the third guest team to win a PBA championship. “I know this is going to be tougher and more physical, but we will be ready and most importantly, we will be ready to show our basketball skills," added Toroman. The veteran mentor, who led Iran to its first FIBA Asia crown in 2007 and a first-ever Olympic stint in 2008 in Beijing, reiterated that the PBA crown is not his team’s ultimate goal. “I’ve said this before, a PBA title is not our team’s ultimate goal, but we’re using this rather to prepare ourselves for the international tournaments. But the PBA really helps us in our preparation, particularly for the FIBA Asia Champion’s Cup, which is one month from now," added Toroman. For Toroman, defense was the key to his team’s victory over Ginebra in Game 3. “We didn’t play good offensively, but we were able to do good defensively," he explained. Casio one of the best guards in Asia One of the best guards in Asia is not a professional basketball player, said according to Toroman. He was referring to JV Casio, the cool and calculating quarterback who did most of the damage against the Gin Kings. The 5-foot-9 guard from La Salle finished with a personal-best 30 points built around seven triples. Mac Baracael hit two treys while Aldrech Ramos had a triple of his own as the Nationals shot 10-of-23 from the three-point region for an exceptional 43.5-percent clip. Toroman had nothing but praises for Casio. “He is a great player and he is amazing. He is an excellent shooter and his recognition on the court is impressive. I think he is not only one of the best point guards in the Philippines, but in Asia," added Toroman. - KY, GMA News