Smart-Gilas closing in on CJ Giles

After losing a valuable material for its buildup, the Smart Gilas Pilipinas National Team has gained an important acquisition crucial to the country's 2012 Olympic dream.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala said Smart Gilas is in the process of finalizing the contract of CJ Giles, a 6-foot-11 American and NBA prospect who agreed to don the national colors as a naturalized player.

According to Eala, the SBP has offered two possible deals for Giles—a one-year contract with the SBP exercising the right of first refusal or a two-year pact with an option to play in the NBA and participate in its summer camps.

"As long as he makes himself available during critical periods that we need him, I see no problem with CJ trying out in the NBA,'' said Eala, who refused to dwell on the financial side of each contract proposal.

Eala added Chris Emens, Giles' agent, is carefully studying which path to take and has been making arrangements for the former Los Angeles Laker inside operator to travel to Manila on the first week of August.

The expected arrival of Giles, who powered Smart Gilas to a fifth-place finish in the tough Fiba-Asia Champions Cup in Jakarta two months ago, has somehow eased the pain of losing Japeth Aguilar to the PBA.

While seeing action with the Powerade-Team Pilipinas in the Jones Cup in Taipei last week, the 6-foot-10 Aguilar had decided to jump into the PBA Rookie Draft where a lucrative offer awaits him.

RP coach Rajko Toroman expressed interest on Aguilar, who played for Western Kentucky University, a US NCAA Division I school, but will now have to think for other options to strengthen Smart Gilas' buildup for the 2011 Fiba-Asia Championships.

Eala said Giles would go through the stringent process of naturalization with the government agencies concerned before Congress acts on the application.

"Our immigration lawyers have already prepared a plan of action,'' said Eala. "It will not be easy but I'm confident that we can justify the naturalization of CJ.''

Eala said Giles would be one of two naturalized players being eyed by the SBP for the 2011 Fiba-Asia Championships, the qualifying event for the 2012 London Olympics.

"The (SBP) board is targeting at least two naturalized players just in case Giles gets injured,'' Eala explained.

Besides Giles, Eala said Filipino-foreign dribbler Chris Lutz is set to arrive tomorrow from the United States. The 6-foot-4 Lutz, who was discovered by the SBP during its US training camp in Las Vegas, has a decent touch from long range.

"We hope he (Lutz) can be the answer and the next Chip Engelland,'' said Eala.

Meanwhile, Eala said the SBP has offered to host the 2010 Stankovic Cup and the 2011 Fiba-Asia Champions Cup in the Philippines during their meeting with International Basketball Federation (Fiba) officials last week in Geneva.