With a gaping hole in its center position, Smart-Gilas Pilipinas wants PBA veteran and many-time national team member Asi Taulava to fill the gap when the team launches its bid in the FIBA-Asia Stankovic Cup on August 7 to 17 in Beirut.

Smart-Gilas team manager Frankie Lim said on Tuesday that they have already requested the organizing FIBA-Asia to allow the 6-foot-9 Taulava to join the team and got a favorable response.

The only thing left to be done is to get the permission of Taulava’s team, Coca-Cola, and also that of the PBA board. A letter to this effect had already been sent to the concerned entities and their approval is being awaited.

“Of course I'm willing to play for flag and country. But they (Gilas officials) have to get permission first from my big boss (JV Baylon) and the PBA office because I'm under contract with them,” said Taulava.

It was learned that Taulava has been given permission by Coca-Cola to practice with the Gilas team but the permission to let him officially join the national squad has not been granted as of Tuesday, a Coke source said.

“We have asked the permission of Coca-Cola and the PBA. We hope they will allow us to use Asi,” said Lim.

The RP team, Lim said, is in dire need of tall players since import Marcus Douthit and seven-footer Greg Slaughter can’t make it for various reasons.

Aside from Douthit and Slaughter, also out are 6-foot-7 Rabeh Al-Hussaini and 6-foot-3 guard Chris Lutz.

Slaughter and Al-Hussaini are catching up with their studies, while Lutz and Douthit, candidates for naturalization, are still waiting for their Philippine passports.

Since the Stankovic Cup is a FIBA-Asia event, only national team members are allowed to participate in the event.

Former San Sebastian College star Jason Ballesteros, at 6-foot-7, is the only legitimate center of the squad.