NOW A THREAT TO GILAS’ 2012 BID

Giles junked RP team for Lebanon journey

By Julius Manicad

11/19/2009

JOHOR BAHRU — The Philippines’ bid to earn a slot in the 2012 London Olympics could be derailed by the same person the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas had initially tasked to lead them there: CJ Giles.

Shortly after getting the boot from Smart Gilas-Team Pilipinas for supposed unprofessional conduct, the 6-foot-11 talented American signed a hefty contract with Sporting Al-Riyadi Beirut, a Lebanese squad that served as Smart Gilas’ bitter nemesis in the previous Fiba-Asia Champions Cup.

Giles’ stunning, and bold, decision was subject of discussion here as Lebanese basketball officials admitted the Oregon State University star stayed on their radar since the Champions Cup last May.

They, in fact, even tried to recruit him together with Gilas skipper Mark Barroca in the heat of the tourney, but Giles decided to stick it out with the Filipinos, vowing to lead them to a golden finish in the 2011 Fiba Asia Championship — which the Philippines hoped would be its gateway to the Olympics.

Sources refused to divulge the specifics of the contract, but confirmed that it dwarfed the one-year, P8.64-million contract he signed with the SBP earlier this year.

Giles is expected to replace the ineffective Mamadou N’Daye in the starting frontline, sharing minutes with one-time PBA import Nate Johnson, naturalized import Joe Vogel and hometown hero Fadi El-Khatib in the Lebanese Basketball League where Al-Riyadi Beirut is a 19-time champion.

He is also being groomed to banner the Lebanese national squad which is already oozing with talent with the vast improvement of quarterback Mahmoud Ali and forward Matt Freije, and the naturalization of Jackson Vroman, the former Iranian import who torched the Filipinos with 42 points en route to the title of the Champions Cup.

“That’s the biggest irony: we might see CJ again in future international competitions,” a Filipino basketball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “But what can we do? He was given the chance and yet he squandered it.”

Giles, a 24-year-old defensive monster who shrugged off an injury to submit 20 points in Gilas’ 91-86 victory over Lebanon in the Champions Cup, was dropped from Smart Gilas’ lineup after reportedly showing erratic behavior. In one instance, a reliable source said, he reported in an official game still drunk and tired from a night-long party.

He was also suspected to have allegedly been using illegal substance.

But Lebanese basketball officials still gambled on hiring him, believing Giles could help them overcome the powerful Iranian, Korean and Chinese squads in the upcoming continental meets.

With Giles out for good, SBP is looking at three prospects; former NBA campaigners Earl Barron, Jamal Sampson and Shaun Pruitt.

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