Rajko Toroman To Stay With Gilas or Should He Be Replaced? Coach Tim Cone Wants Him To Stay!

The Philippines is now number 45 in the latest FIBA Rankings. From number 53, the Philippines moved up to number 45. That's quite a great leap forward and the primary reason for that is the great performance of Coach Rajko Toroman's boys in the recently concluded FIBA Asia Championship 2011 wherein the Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas finished 4th.

The Philippine men's basketball team has never entered the Final 4 of the FIBA Asia Championship since 1987 but this year, Smart Gilas ended that long 24-year drought after their 4th place finish in the said tournament last Sunday. They lost to the eventual 3rd placer South Korea, but that didn't ruin the optimism that the Filipino Basketball Fans have for them. They are still hoping that next year, Gilas will have a better performance. But then again, there are also some haters who are now looking for some changes in the Smart Gilas Program because they are not happy with what happened to the team especially with regard to their poor showing in their last two games in the FIBA Asia 2011- against Jordan and against South Korea.

That's why I will not be surprised if a number of people would ask this question, "will the Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas have the same group of guys or will there be some changes in the coaching staff or in the team's roster?"

No one knows the answer to that question except Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan because he's the man behind the Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas program and thus, he has the last say if there will be some changes in it.

But personally, I want to see Coach Rajko Toroman back in the fold of Gilas because he has already instilled his system inside Gilas and that I still believe that it has not yet fully bloomed. Maybe next year, we'll see its full potential. I also learned that even the legendary Coach Tim Cone also wants Coach Rajko Toroman back for Gilas. He said that:

“And I don’t see any reason why we should change a successful program. Changing Rajko Toroman as coach means changing the whole program. It’s a program designed of training and developing players. That’s why the likes of Jayvee Casio, Mac Baracael, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz were developed and became better players. I expect Gilas to become better in the next two years.”

How about you, what do you think? Should Gilas retain Coach Rajko Toroman or its time for them to look for a new head coach?