CHOT Reyes has temporarily stepped down as TNT head coach but remains a ubiquitous presence during PBA games, often caught by the cameras watching the Tropang GIGA anxiously from behind the bench.
Any chance of Reyes taking back the coaching reins as the Governors' Cup enters the playoffs?
Nada.
The six-time PBA Coach of the Year awardee has ruled out a return to the TNT bench for the rest of the season, making it clear that the 2023 Governors' Cup title is for interim coach Jojo Lastimosa to win or lose for the MVP Group's flagship franchise.
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"Nope," was Reyes' curt reply when asked about the possibility after the Tropang GIGA ended the single-round elimination phase with the league's best record on Friday night to earn the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
The Tropang GIGA are so far doing well under Lastimosa, a PBA great who moved from NLEX to take on the role of TNT team manager before assuming the reins after Reyes slid down to a senior consultant role at the PBA team to focus on his role as head coach of the Gilas Pilipinas national team.
Backed by Serbian consultant Slavoljub Lale Gorunovic and assistant Josh Reyes, Lastimosa has led TNT to 10 wins in 11 games in an impressive run capped by a 115-104 win over Barangay Ginebra and his longtime coach Tim Cone.
TNT insiders bared that when Lastimosa was named to the interim coaching role, the former Alaska and Purefoods star himself assured his pal Reyes that he can get back the head-coaching position anytime he wants to.
However, changes, obviously, aren't necessary for the Tropang GIGA at this time.
Also, insiders pointed out that after a rare respite, Reyes will be back in the grind putting together - and later preparing - a Gilas side for its shot at redemption at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May.
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