THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas will be assessing the Gilas Pilipinas Youth program and its head coach LA Tenorio following the team’s campaign in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup where the nationals failed to make it to the quarterfinals for the first time ever.
SBP executive director Erika Dy admitted the federation shares the disappointment of the team’s supporters to the 10th-place finish of the squad after bowing to Bahrain in the qualification to the quarterfinals.
The team only had one win in four matches, the lone victory coming at the expense of Southeast Asia neighbor Indonesia, 65-60, in the group stage of the tournament held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
“Ang assessment naman after the tournament is mandatory ‘yan. We do it for all our teams. Definitely, there will be an assessment… We still have to process it,” Dy said.
“I have seen how disappointed our fans are and our countrymen. I’m disappointed myself. I do not hide that. I think we should have at least beat Bahrain and be on the quarterfinals I felt that we were more talented."
No rushed decisions for SBP
Dy said the team is still on a transition period as it is Tenorio’s first coaching stint at the Asian level after taking over the spot previously held by Josh Reyes.
At the same time, in the assessment, Dy said Tenorio’s recent appointment as Magnolia head coach will also be under consideration as far as what’s next for the youth team.
“Just remember that this is LA’s first time coaching in the U16 Asia Cup. We switched coaches late last year and sometimes, when there is a new direction in the program, you have to take a setback also in order to move forward more. We have to consider all of these things.
“But just the same, I think LA was not the same coach that we hired a year ago with the weight of coaching Magnolia on his shoulders now. That’s a big consideration with the assessment,” said Dy.
“Wala pa tayo doon (assessment). Ayaw nating madaliin ang desisyon na ‘to. Pag-iisipan mabuti, pag-aaralan natin ng mabuti, titignan natin kung ano ang mangyayari looking forward,” she added.
For his part, Tenorio said he remains as the Gilas Youth coach, as his concentration now shifts on Magnolia. He added that the PBA schedule, which for the 50th season, will now run until December 2026 will also play a factor in relation to the Gilas Youth post.
“For now, yes,” said Tenorio when asked about the Gilas job. “Kasi actually, wala naman, so far, sa schedule ng PBA at sa schedule ng Batang Gilas, walang conflict so far. It will depend on the schedule of the PBA if they will change. Again, priority is of course, PBA for now kung season ng PBA.”
“Kung wala namang conflict, I already started it and I just started. Again, walang kasiguraduhan dahil sa schedule. We will talk to the federation, with the SBP, and the PBA also with the schedule,” said Tenorio.
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