MANILA, Philippines - The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas special committee convenes today to begin the arduous task of screening candidates for the national coach as Gilas mentor Chot Reyes withdrew his name from the short list.
The committee is to go over the parameters and guidelines for the selection of the man who will chart the Nationals’ campaign for a possible return stint to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
SBP executive director Sonny Barrios expects a “productive” conference as they try to find the most ideal replacement to Reyes. SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas chairs the special committee which counts PBA commissioner Chito Salud, PBA board chairman Patrick Gregorio and vice chair Robert Non as other members.
It has become definite a new coach will call the shots for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship following Reyes’ decision to pull his name out of the possible list yesterday.
On his Twitter account, Reyes announced his exit from the national team, saying “this will allow the committee to do its work unencumbered, take a broader view of other potential candidates to this national job and enable the Gilas program to move on unfettered.”
“It is time for someone else takes over the wheel; it is time for me to hand over that wheel,” he added.
Reyes expressed gratitude to the SBP, its president Manny V. Pangilinan, the PBA, the MVP Group, the Gilas supporters and his family for “those two difficult but wonderful years I was given to serve my country and Philippine basketball.”
“Despite the intense pressure that came with the job and the public scrutiny that goes with being the national coach, this job has always been a unique privilege. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else,” he said.
“May I say that I have dedicated the past two years serving the national team to the best of my ability. I have personally derived great pride and much satisfaction for the strides the Gilas program has taken – with the collective effort of everyone involved in the effort,” he also said.
Gregorio foresees a “tedious” process in making the criteria and timeline in search of the new national chieftain.
“It will be an honest to goodness search,” Gregorio said.
“We’ll first set the criteria then the timeline. The committee will try to make it as quickly as possible as MVP (SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan) wants it done for the board’s approval in its meeting before the December holidays,” said Barrios.
“But I’m not sure how far we can go (in today’s meeting). I think it would be a bonus if we’re able to name names (in the short list),” Barrios added.
Salud has said one criterion he’ll push is for the head coach to have an international experience. It’s like in the case of Reyes who had a previous stint with the national team back in the 2007 Tokushima Asian meet.
PBA coaches who have previously handled the Phl 5 are Tim Cone, Norman Black, Jong Uichico and Yeng Guiao. Also passing this criterion are Talk n Text consultant Tab Baldwin and former player, coach and senator Robert Jaworski.
At least three committee members have hinted they would make it necessary for the head coach to do the job full-time. If this would be the case, then active PBA head coaches would be eased out from the list.
“I’d rather sense what the other committee members want. I want to get their opinions first,” said Barrios.
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