Home crowd gives Gilas ‘big advantage’

FORMER Philippine team coach Rajko Toroman believes a well-prepared Gilas Pilipinas, backed by a massive support from its hometown crowd this August will be huge ingredients to a strong showing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila.

With the top performing Asian team in the world basketball showpiece earning an automatic berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 68-year-old Toroman knows Gilas will get the much-needed energy from rabid Filipino basketball fans, who are expected to pack the playing venue during the World Cup.

“China is coming back, they put Sasa (Aleksandar) Dordevic, who brought the silver medal to the Serbian national team (in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics). And you always have Japan there so it will be tough (for Gilas), but there is a big chance [because] first of all, they play at home, and that’s a big advantage with the crowd, with what they have in Manila,” explained Toroman during his guest appearance last Saturday at former PBA commissioner and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Noli Eala’s sports program “Power and Play.”

The straight-talking Serbian coach believes seeing action in Manila gives Gilas Pilipinas an added“25 percent”chance of playing better because of the strong local crowd support.

Toroman personally experienced how it feels to be in an arena filled with passionate Filipino basketball fans.

In fact, as far back as the days when he first coached the original Smart Gilas team in 2009, Toroman, who now handles AlMuharraq in Bahrain, said playing in front of Pinoy fans is always special.

And in the same sports program, Toroman mentioned that one thing he misses in the Philippines is the warm basketball atmosphere in the arena.