WILL no less than the national coach call the shots for Meralco during the inaugural PBA 3x3 tournament?
The Bolts have in their 5-on-5 coaching staff Ronnie Magsanoc, who also happens to be the mentor of the Gilas Pilipinas men’s 3x3 team currently preparing for the qualifying tournament for the Tokyo Olympics to be held in Graz, Austria later this month.
Meralco coach Norman Black said he’s not certain whether his top deputy will be the one to handle the franchise’s 3x3 team, which already gained an initial head start by recently signing highly touted Fil-Am playmaker Jason Brickman.
“I have no idea who will be coaching the 3x3 team because I’m with the regular 5-on-5 team. I think management is the one that can answer that,” said Black.
Text message left by SPIN.ph for team manager Paolo Trillo has yet to receive a response as of post time,
But Magsanoc’s experience coaching in 3x3 tournaments should augur well for the Bolts if ever he gets the job to handle the team.
The long-time Meralco deputy out of University of the Philippines was coach of the Gilas men’s team that won the gold in the inaugural 3x3 meet during the Southeast Asian Games here in 2019.
The 55-year-old mentor coached the men’s team composed of CJ Perez, Mo Tautuaa, Chris Newsome, and Jason Perkins.
Perez and Tautuaa are both part of the national team training at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna for the May 26 to 30 qualifier, along with Joshua Munzon of Terrafirma and Meralco’s very own Alvin Pasaol. Serving as alternates are Santi Santillan and Karl Dehesa.
Other teams which already have their respective 3x3 coaches are Phoenix (Willy Wilson), San Miguel Beer (Boycie Zamar), Rain or Shine (Rob Wainwright), and NLEX (Emman Monfort and Borgie Hermida).
The Fuel Masters have likewise agreed in principle for the services of Fil-foreign player Brandon Ganuelas Rosser, while TnT Tropang Giga also tapped a Fil-Am in Jeremiah Gray for its 3x3 team.
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