Smart Gilas to test new import

Smart Gilas import prospect Marcus Douthit will beef up the injury-plagued national team in an invitational tournament to be organized by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas within the month.

Douthit was supposed to arrive Tuesday but Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman reset the arrival of the 6-foot-10 Providence alum for June 15, a few days before the mini-tournament where the Jordan national squad, a Chinese Basketball League ballclub and a PBA team will see action.

“I want to try him out in the invitational tournament,” said Toroman after the RP five’s first practice Monday at the Arena in San Juan City since finishing seventh in the 21st FIBA Asia Champions Cup in Doha, Qatar.

“He will be on tryout for two weeks.”

Douthit, a shaded-lane banger, was picked by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round (56th overall) in the 2004 NBA Rookie Draft.

Waived by the Lakers, Douthit, now 30, was forced to seek greener pastures in Europe and Korea.

The 235-pound inside operator last suited up for Krasnie Krilya Samara in the Russian league where Douthit averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds.

Douthit jacked these numbers up in the recent Euro League where he posted 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Guards JV Casio, JR Cawaling and Filipino-foreign Marcio Lassiter continue to miss the practice sessions while still recovering from various leg injuries.

Toroman, however, is hoping to have them back in the William Jones Cup in Taipei next month and the FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup in August.

Gilas is preparing for the Asian Games in Guangzhou in November and next year’s FIBA Asia Championship, the qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.