Putting premium on chemistry, Tim Cone is tipped to bring in some familiar faces to be part of his coaching staff when Gilas Pilipinas campaigns in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers this month.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director executive director Erika Dy said Cone has yet to finalize his coaching staff, but Jong Uichico is expected to join him as his chief deputy.
Cone and Uichico, two of the most successful coaches in the Philippine Basketball Association, had come a long way.
Their biggest conquest, however, was last year when they led Gilas to a historic title in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Now, they will be back for another run in a bid to tow the Filipinos back to the Summer Olympics for the first time since 1972.
Joining Cone and Uichico will be Barangay Ginebra assistant coach Richard del Rosario, who will also serve as team manager.
“Coach Tim is still finalizing his coaching staff. But for sure Richard will be the manager and assistant coach while Jong will probably stay as assistant,” said Dy in a short message to Daily Tribune on Sunday morning.
But Uichico is not the only familiar face in the Gilas Pilipinas bench.
Daily Tribune sources revealed that Josh Reyes is also being considered as well as PBA stars LA Tenorio and Chris Ross.
Reyes has been an understudy of his father — former Gilas coach Chot Reyes — in the previous batch of the national squad while Tenorio has been quarterbacking Cone’s Barangay Ginebra in the PBA.
Tenorio took a breather from active competition when he got diagnosed with cancer, but eventually resurfaced as Cone’s assistant in the Gilas squad that ended the country’s 61-year title drought in the Asian Games last year.
The 38-year-old Ross, for his part, is playing for San Miguel Beer, but is also serving as assistant coach as he enters the twilight zone of his 15-year professional career.
“Coach Tim wants familiar faces to be around him,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity for lack of clearance from the federation.
