BLACKWATER has tapped Aris Dimaunahan as interim coach of the Elite for the coming PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Dimaunahan was tasked to handle the job following the resignation of coach Bong Ramos.
Team owner Dioceldo Sy said Ramos has verbally resigned as head coach following the team's early ouster in the Philippine Cup.
"We have accepted his resignation and appointed Aris Dimaunahan as interim coach," said Sy.
Dimaunahan, who has been a long-time Blackwater assistant since the day of former coach Leo Isaac, will start handling the team practices when the Elite return from.their week-long break by next week.
Cage great William 'Bogs' Adornado and Rommel Adducul will serve as deputies to Dimaunahan, the former University of Santo Tomas shooting guard who also once played for Barangay Ginebra.
Ramos will meet with Blackwater board of governor Siliman Sy on Thursday to formally turn over the coaching chores to Dimaunahan. He has half a year left in his contract with the team since replacing Isaac during last year's Commissioner's Cup.
After steering the franchise to the playoffs in last season's Governors Cup, hope was high for the Elite to be among the top contenders in the league this year.
But all that changed when the team lost three key players in John Paul Erram, Paul Zamar and John Pinto through trades and free agency market.
Although the team got younger following the entry of rookies Paul Desiderio, Abu Tratter and Diego Dario, the lack of experience and chemistry cost the Elite who crashed out of the race for a playoffs berth with a 2-9 record.
One silver lining for the franchise though, is the expected coming on board of No. 2 overall pick Bobby Ray Parks in the mid-season tournament.
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