CSB taps ex-Gilas coach as consultant

(UPDATE) SERBIAN coach Rajko Toroman is making a comeback in Philippine basketball.

Over a decade after first handling the Gilas Pilipinas basketball squad, Toroman has been tapped this time to serve as a consultant for the College of St. Benilde in NCAA men's basketball.

Benilde’s Migs Oczon. PHOTO FROM FILOIL ECOOIL

“Yes, he (Toroman) will be with us for two months. He will arrive tonight (Wednesday, August 16),” Tiu told The Manila Times as he confirmed the 68-year-old Serbian's return to Philippine basketball.

Tiu, who is looking to build on the Blazers' surprising run to the NCAA men's basketball Finals last season, admitted that his team still has a lot to learn.

And what better way than to have a player of Toroman's caliber, who is coming in with tons of basketball experience after serving with much success handling the national teams of Serbia, Iran, Jordan and just recently, Indonesia?

“We have so much to learn and improve on basketball-wise,” shared Tiu, who first came under Toroman's wings when the Serbian handled the Gilas national team from 2009–2011.

“And we want to give back and help other Filipinos improve, too.”

Toroman, the architect of Iran's rise to Asian cage power in 2007, was also credited for the development of Indonesia, which shocked the Philippines in 2022 when Timnas ruled the Southeast Asian Games men's basketball.