BONG Tan is set to be more hands-on with the University of the East men's basketball program this season.
The son of school chairman Lucio Tan Sr. will take over the coaching duties for the Red Warriors in UAAP Season 82, Spin.ph sources confirmed.
Lawrence Chongson, meanwhile, will be Tan's top deputy and head of basketball operations.
The changes were made on Monday, with the UE management forging the deal after what has been a tumultuous offseason.
Joe Silva stepped down as the head coach on the eve of the first gameday of the men's basketball tournament.
Sources close to the situation confirmed the news, with the champion coach from the Ateneo Blue Eaglets only lasting one year at the helm.
The Red Warriors finished dead-last with a 1-13 win-loss record last year in Silva's lone season in Recto.
This will be a unique set up for Tan, who also owns the Batangas City Tanduay Athletics in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
Chongson handled UE from 2009 to 2010 and led the Red Warriors featuring Paul Lee, Elmer Espiritu and Pari Llagas to the Season 72 finals where they bowed to Ateneo.
Senegalese big man Alex Diakhite, one-and-done transferees Rey Suerte and Jed Mendoza, rookie Harvey Pagsanjan, Filipino-New Zealander Richie Rodger and team captain Philip Manalang make up the core for this year's squad.
Chongson, Estong Ballesteros, Paul Artadi, Rob Labagala, and UE Junior Warriors coach Anton Brodett make up Tan's staff for this season.
UE will make its season debut on Wednesday against University of Santo Tomas at 10:30 a.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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