SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) sports director Alfrancis Chua denied he has anything to do with the recent coaching revamp at University of Santo Tomas.
Chua said he hasn’t dipped a finger on the internal affairs of the varsity team of the school where he played his varsity years.
Last week, the university announced the hiring of former UST star Bal David as its new coach for the coming Season 85 of the UAAP, replacing Jinino Manansala.
[See Bal David returning to UST as new Tigers coach]
Although David is a former Chua player during their days with multi-titled Stag Pale Pilsen in the defunct Philippine Basketball League (PBL), the SMC executive said he has nothing to do with the decision of the school to make the coaching change.
At the same time, Chua said SMC hasn’t come in as major backer of the Growling Tigers.
“I have nothing to do with it. Wala kaming kinalaman diyan,” he emphatically said on Thursday.
Chua made the clarification since a lot had been calling him about his supposed involvement along with SMC on the changes happening in the basketball program of his alma mater.
Sources said negotiations between SMC, through Chua, and UST officials went on for months, but no agreement was ever reached.
David's appointment was announced after the talks failed, the sources added.
[See Why Bal David fell all the way to 3rd round of PBA draft]
The Barangay Ginebra governor donned the UST jersey in the mid-80s during the time of the late champion coach Aric Del Rosario.
If there’s a school which Chua and the SMC group are openly supporting, it’s reigning back-to-back NCAA men’s basketball champion Letran.
The Knights have been backed by the conglomerate since 2019 when they ended San Beda’s three-year reign as NCAA champion under the guidance of coach Bonnie Tan.
Chua once played for Letran’s junior basketball team.
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