Published August 16, 2023 11:36am
Updated August 16, 2023 9:09pm
Former Gilas Pilipinas head coach Rajko Toroman is again within the Philippines and can quickly function a marketing consultant for the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers, mentioned head coach Charles Tiu.
For Tiu, it is going to be a ‘full circle second’ for him as he’ll work once more with the previous Philippine males’s nationwide basketball group coach.
“Beyond thrilled. It’s coming full circle for me. I’ve always wanted to work with him again because he is like a father figure to me,” mentioned Tiu, who has been below Toroman’s workers within the first iteration of Gilas Pilipinas group and the then Petron Blaze Boosters and Barako Bull squads within the PBA.
Tiu added that Toroman returning to the Philippines is not going to simply assist the Blazers, but additionally different basketball groups within the nation.
“I think more than just to the college game, he will be able to help a lot of teams. As you know, boss Frank Lao supports numerous basketball teams, and I think we all can benefit from coach Rajko,” Tiu mentioned, referring to Benilde program booster Frank Lao who additionally helped in stacking the Taft-based squad’s roster for the upcoming NCAA seasons.
“There is still so much for us to learn and improve on, and whenever we get a coach of his caliber to come here and train us, it Is great for us,” he added.
Tiu revealed that he had already talked to Toroman earlier than concerning the latter’s probabilities of becoming a member of the Taft-based squad.
“Before bringing Coach Zoran (Martic) on board, I had actually invited Coach Rajko. However, he had commitments in Bahrain and wanted to watch his grandson compete for the Serbian U16 national team,” Tiu defined.
Benilde males’s basketball group supervisor Jacob Lao additionally welcomed Toroman to the Blazers’ camp.
“We are delighted to welcome coach Rajko Toroman to the College of Saint Benilde family. His wealth of experience and strategic insights will undoubtedly elevate our team’s performance. With Coach Rajko’s guidance, we are confident in reaching new heights in the world of college basketball,” mentioned Jacob Lao.
Frank Lao additionally mentioned Toroman will conduct basketball clinics throughout the nation as a part of the Strong Group’s initiative to assist in creating Filipino gamers.
“Coach Rajko will generously conduct coaching clinics nationwide during his free time, strengthening the sport at every level and empowering aspiring athletes and coaches across the country,” mentioned Lao.
Toroman will be part of the likes of Paolo Layug, Carlo Tan, Gabby Severino, Marvin Bienvenida, and JC Cullar on Tiu’s teaching workers.
Prior to his return to the nation, Toroman additionally served because the director of the Indonesia nationwide males’s basketball group which received the gold medal within the 2022 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi.
Benilde, in the meantime, completed as runners-up to champions Colegio de San Juan de Letran in NCAA Season 98 after a three-game finals collection.
The Blazers will nonetheless have a core intact for Season 99 as NCAA Most Valuable Player Will Gozum makes his return, alongside the likes of Robi Nayve, Migs Oczon, Miggy Corteza, and Prince Carlos.
The group has additionally beefed up its squad for Season 100 after securing the dedication of gamers reminiscent of Allen Liwag, Gab Cometa, Tony Ynot, and Justine Sanchez.
NCAA Season 99 is scheduled to return in September.
—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
