AFTER TNT, it's now a Gilas Pilipinas homecoming for Chot Reyes.
The man responsible for guiding the country back to the FIBA World Cup is poised to take over the national team program once again leading up to the country's hosting of the so-called Olympics of basketball.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) confirmed the development late Monday night, or three weeks before the country's scheduled hosting of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The SBP later released a statement confirming the coaching change:
"It will be an honor to serve the country again. It is a big challenge, pero hindi ko matatalikuran ang tawag ng bayan," said Reyes, who led Gilas to a runner-up finish at the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship in Manila and a ticket to the 2014 World Cup in Spain.
[See SBP says Chot the 'sensible choice' to step in for Baldwin]
Reyes' sentimental return to the national team starts on Tuesday, almost a year since coming back from a decade-long coaching sabbatical in the PBA and immediately steering TNT to the Philippine Cup championship.
Tab Baldwin, the man Reyes replaced, decided to step down from the post and will focus on his job as coach of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, whose UAAP schedule could overlap with the Gilas buildup for the World Cup.