CHICAGO — The tenure of Nash Racela as head coach of the Adamson University Soaring Falcons is hanging in the balance.
With his five-year contract coming down to its final 167 days, no extension talks appear to be on the table.
And that’s because, according to multiple sources, Racela’s current deal is unlikely to be renewed.
FUNDING, NOT COACHING, IS THE PROBLEM.
If coach Nash is indeed let go, it would be a damn shame because Racela, 54, is one of the richest coaching minds in the UAAP.
Unfortunately, his program is poorly funded and restrained from acquiring blue-chip recruits that routinely end up at UP, La Salle, Ateneo and UST.
After major sponsor Akari left to focus on volleyball, this is how financially-challenged Adamson’s men’s basketball team had become.
READ Five biggest blue-chip recruit 'decommits' in recent UAAP history
The current roster, I am told, has at least two players receiving only P6,000 a month in allowances, loose change compared to studs in the rich schools.
In many instances, an Adamson insider told me, the coaches were able to recruit good players but couldn’t close the deal due to anemic funding.
One such case is Gani Stevens who ended up at UP.
MORE FOR LESS.
Through four years at Adamson, Racela’s best player was Jerom Lastimosa, a borderline star who is a great downhill point guard but couldn’t shoot to save his life.
Despite the roster limitations, Nash has somehow concocted a 26-30 won-lost record with two Final Four appearances.
Nash did not underachieve, he’s just under-appreciated. He doesn’t deserve to be fired.
The clock ticks toward December, slowly, if not surely. And it’s sad.
Because six months is too long to agonize over and too short to whip a miracle out of a talent-hungered roster.
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