THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is considering hiring a European coach to take over the reins at Gilas Pilipinas following the resignation of Yeng Guiao.
SBP president Al Panlilio said they are looking to make the move immediately in the search for the new national coach following the dismal performance in the Fiba Basketball World Cup.
Guiao resigned just days after the winless campaign.
“We have to move quickly. I don’t know if there’s a timetable. It might be a local coach, it might be a foreign coach,” said Panlilio in an ambush interview after a press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon the arrival of SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan from China.
Panlilio said the option to get a European coach stemmed from a meeting with Guiao following the team’s arrival from the Fiba Basketball World Cup where one of Guiao’s suggestion is to regularly train in Europe in preparation for international competitions.
“That’s part of the assessment. If the suggestion given by coach Yeng is that we should adopt with that style of basketball, then we do need a European coach or at least somebody who knows European basketball,” said Panlilio.
Panlilio, now the president of Smart Philippines, said the SBP plans to discuss the head coach vacancy this weekend after Pangilinan arrived on Tuesday from China where he accepted the hosting of the 2023 World Cup along with representatives from co-hosts Japan and Indonesia.
Pangilinan also retained his seat in the powerful Fiba Central Board.
The SBP is pressed for time to name a new Gilas coach as the Philippines will be competing in the 30th Southeast Asian Games which it will be hosting beginning on November 30.
A September 30 deadline has been set for the Philippines to submit members of its basketball teams by name.
Over the last few days after Guiao's resignation, there has been a strong clamor to bring back either Tab Baldwin of Ateneo and Tim Cone of Barangay Ginebra to the national coaching position.
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