FIBA Champs Cup: Imports are key, says multi-titled Pinoy coach

It all boils down to the quality of imports as far as winning the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup title is concerned. Take it from the last man to steer the Philippines to the championship of the annual meet. “Imports make the difference sa Champions Cup. Imports matter a lot," said Junel Baculi, who guided two separate national squads to back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996, respectively, under the banner of Andok’s and Hapee Toothpaste ballclubs. “The good your imports are, the better your chances." But while Pilipinas-Smart Gilas won’t have the benefit of a reinforcement, Baculi said he still likes the nationals’ chances owing to the presence of seven-foot naturalized player Marcus Douthit and veteran slotman Asi Taulava. “Their presence will help us out a lot, especially Asi in terms of rebounding, defense and experience," added the former national coach of the 6-foot-9 Taulava, one of two PBA players suiting up for the Nationals in the tournament that reels off at the Philsports Arena on May 28. Baculi had legendary PBA import Bobby Parks and former Ginebra reinforcement Alexander Coles on his Andok’s team when it pulled off an upset by winning the Champions Cup crown 16 years ago following a 107-82 rout of Petronas-Malaysia in the finals. A year later, Parks teamed up with Tony Harris to edge Japan’s Isuzu Lynx in the championship match and retained the title, 77-74. Two-time defending champion Mahram of Iran tapped the services of Jackson Vroman and Priest Lauderdale when it bagged the crown in 2009 and Vroman and Loren Woods for the 2010 championship. Now the athletic director of National University, Baculi sees the Middle East countries as the biggest stumbling blocks — especially powerhouse Iran and Lebanon — in Smart Gilas’ bid to end the country’s 15-year drought in the tournament. “They have 6-foot-8, 6-foot-9 local players, tapos may imports pa sila. Kaya for sure, mapapalaban tayo diyan," he said. Baculi said the support of the basketball-crazy Filipinos would definitely be a big help to the nationals’ campaign the way it did when Hapee Toothpaste clinched the title before a big crowd at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in 1996. “May possibility na mag-champion," he said. “It’s a formidable task, but with the backing and support of the Filipino fans, I can’t see why we can’t achieve it." - RCJ, GMA News