The Smart-Gilas Philippine team has been looking for someone who can plug the hole in the middle which has been a problem of the squad. Not anymore.

Serbian Milan Vucicevic vowed to give it all when he suits up as import for the Smart-Gilas national team which competes in the 21st FIBA-Asia Champions Cup on May 22 to 30 in Doha, Qatar.

“I can bring a lot of stuff. I can play defense and offense,” the 6-foot-10 Vucicevic told the Bulletin Friday when interviewed prior to his first workout with fellow Serbian Rajko Toroman, the project director and head coach of the Smart-Gilas, at the Meralco gym in Ortigas.

Vucicevic, 25, brings a lot of experience to the amateur-laden team after playing in different tournaments in Europe and Asia. He played in Greece, Ukraine, Poland, Cyprus, Qatar, Iran and Lebanon.

He said that he was informed about the Nationals’ past problems in dealing with imports after American CJ Giles was dropped from the team and his replacement Jamal Sampson was also scratched.

“I take this very seriously, I hope I’ll be the best choice (as import),” Vucicevic said. “It’s an honor to be invited (by Toroman). He’s a coach that I respect so much. I’m going to read the coach’s system, how he prepares. I watched Gilas in Dubai tournament.”

The Philippine team is in Group A, considered the “Group of Death” as it tangles with defending champion Iran along with Kazakhstan, Iraq and host Qatar.

Last year, Gilas finished fifth in the tournament, which Iran won against Lebanon.

Smart-Gilas uses the FIBA-Asia Champs Cup and the Asian Games as part of its preparation for next year’s FIBA-Asia Championship, the qualifying meet for the 2012 London Olympics.