With Chot Reyes “stepping aside,” the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is facing the challenge of tapping a new Gilas Pilipinas head coach with barely three weeks left before the 19th Asian Games.
Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Willie Marcial told Daily Tribune that he will sit down with SBP president Al Panlilio and PBA chairman Rickie Vargas to plot the team that will represent the country in the prestigious continental event set from 23 September to 8 October in Hangzhou, China.
The date of their meeting has yet to be confirmed, but the PBA chief admitted that the selection process will not be easy.
“First, we need somebody who would want to take the job with only three weeks left before the Asian Games,” Marcial said in a telephone conversation.
“We have to know who is interested and who has players who are already in good condition. Remember, the PBA (Commissioner’s Cup) is still one month away so we have to know and talk to the PBA teams who have already started their training.”
Multiple sources believe that Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is a logical choice.
Aside from jumpstarting the Rain or Shine training last month in preparation for the William Jones Cup, Guiao also has a reputation of accepting the challenging role of handing the national team even at the last minute.
In fact, he called the shots for the national squad in the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018 and the 19th FIBA Basketball World Cup in China in 2019 despite his last-minute appointment.
Also looming as logical choices are Gilas Pilipinas assistant coaches Tim Cone and Jong Uichico.
Cone could be a good choice since he is already familiar with the system employed by Reyes during the Gilas Pilipinas’ World Cup stint recently.
He is also a proven mentor who led the country to a bronze medal in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in 1998 and to a gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila in 2019.
Although he already declined, saying that he will also step down following Reyes’ resignation, insiders believe that he will still change his mind depending on the instruction of his principal, the San Miguel Corporation, which is now a Gilas Pilipinas supporter.
On the same note, Uichico could also be a candidate since he is also overflowing with international experience after guiding the Nationals to a semifinal stint in the 14th Asian Games in Busan in 2002 and to gold medals in the 27th SEA Games in Naypyidaw in 2013 and the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2017.
But a source close to Uichico said the nine-time PBA champion coach is also cold on the appointment.
“No, he is not interested,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Like Uichico, TNT Tropang Giga mentor Jojo Lastimosa was also offered to handle the Gilas coaching job but politely declined, saying that he will just focus on guiding his squad in the Commissioner’s Cup set to open on 15 October.
“He was offered but he would rather concentrate on the preparations of TNT for the coming Commissioner’s Cup,” the source said, dismissing Lastimosa’s possible return to the Asian Games for the first time since being part of the Centennial Team in 1998.
But Reyes could still end up staying as Gilas mentor as Asian Games organizers are not inclined to accommodate last-minute changes in the submitted entry by name.
Asian Games chief of mission Richard Gomez explained that he doesn’t think late substitution will be possible, especially since the Chinese organizers are known to be strict when it comes to deadlines.
“The HAGOC (Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee) won’t be accepting late entries. They can accept substitutions only if someone in the list is injured. But even then, it will not be granted easily,” Gomez said.
In a television interview, SBP president Al Panlilio said they will come up with a new Gilas mentor after their hosting of the FIBA World Cup on Friday.
