WHILE Chot Reyes is the most decorated local coach in Philippine basketball, his younger brother Mike is no slouch, either.
After a 28-year hiatus from coaching in the UAAP juniors, Reyes returned and took over FEU from Denok Miranda as program director, as well as Baby Tamaraws head coach.
“It was God’s will na bumalik ako sa UAAP,” Reyes told SPIN.ph. "The SWU (Southwestern University) sports program was discontinued, so for about five months, wala talaga akong ginagawa.”
Reyes built quite the coaching resume in multiple collegiate and professional leagues, with his longest being in CESAFI for SWU-PHINMA.
After his so-so season with the Cebu Classic in the MPBL back in 2025, the Baby Tamaraws needed a shot-caller, and that’s when athletic director Mark Molina gave him the call.
“Boss Mark Molina heard about my situation. Timing din, because nagpaalam si Denok. So Mark called me, we talked, and then the rest is history,” he said.
In his first year back, Reyes steered Season and Finals MVP Cabs Cabonilas and the rest of the green-and-gold to an exceptional campaign.
READ: This PBA MVP set up Cabonilas for success in FEU-D. Find out who
They ran through most of the elimination round and after shortly feeling resistance from Ateneo in the playoffs then NU-Nazareth School in the finals, reclaimed the crown they last wore in Season 85.
“Of course, it’s a morale-booster. It gives me confidence in my coaching know-how, and it validates the work we’ve put in as a team over the years,” he said.
Reyes returns to glory
Before his 28-year absence in the UAAP, Reyes ushered in a shining era for the then-Blue Eaglets, with whom he won two titles.
And for Reyes, handling the decades-long gap meant adjusting to the times, which he described as a drastic change in playstyle.
“The last time I was in the UAAP finals, ang uso noon was post play. Ngayon, fast forward to 2026, it’s more on spacing and conceptual basketball,” he said.
And while Mike very well forged his own path from Chot, he didn’t shy away from seeking advice from his kuya.
As he put it, “Yung influence ni Chot, malaking bagay. He really educated me on the progression of how to run a practice, and more importantly, to understand the value of building relationships with your players. That’s something I carry with me hanggang ngayon.”
With the Baby Tams re-asserting their dominance in the 19U scene, it’s safe to say they are in good hands with Reyes.
And given that he also serves as director of the overall program, the restoration of FEU’s once iron-clad pipeline isn’t off the table either.
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