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 TOKUSHIMA—Chot
Reyes is stepping aside as coach of the Philippine
national team after the Fiba Asia tournaments formally
ends on August 6.
“As far
as I’m concerned, I am the Philippine national coach
until August 6. On August 7 I won’t be,” Reyes said. “I
have to give way to allow the federation to make a
decision. We signed up to do a job, and I didn’t get it
done. So I have to give way to the [Samahang Basketbol
ng Pilipinas] to go and choose a new coach, if that’s
what they decide.”
As in
all national basketball teams before it, this one was
under the microscope of basketball aficionados and the
glare of a highly expectant nation that embraces
basketball like no other, and yet continues to thirst
for international glory.
Reyes
was officially appointed in January 2005, the first
coach of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to
be named for a long-term program. But political
bickering in the national federation that led to the
Fiba suspension wrecked Reyes’s plans.
When the
suspension was lifted in February, Reyes only had five
months to prepare for the Asian championships, and he
made the most of it, taking the teams to train in the
US, Serbia, Iran, Thailand and Chinese-Taipei all in a
span of 16 weeks.
All San
Miguel-Team Pilipinas’s preparation boiled down to three
straight days meeting three of the strongest teams in
the tournament. It ended with a loss to Jordan Monday.
“I don’t
know what the plans are,” Reyes admitted. “All I know is
that the assignment given for me is to find a way to get
to the Olympics through this tournament, and I failed.
So the right thing to do is to give way. And it’s up to
the federation, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and
the PBA to make that decision.”
Reyes,
44, celebrated his birthday Wednesday, one he considers
his “saddest ever.”
“It’s
been very, very hard,” he said. “This must be my saddest
birthday ever. But looking at the bright things, we have
to count our blessings. I’m here with my players. My
family’s okay. I have great kids. I have great friends.
Who are we to complain? We’re sad. We’re disappointed.
We’re very hurt. But life goes on.”
In a
light moment, Reyes was asked what his birthday wish
was.
“I wish
we didn’t have that Greek referee,” the RP head coach
cracked, then took it back and joked again. “Well, maybe
my first wish is I wish we weren’t in Group A.”
“But
seriously, my wish is that the program is not a one-shot
deal. I’m not saying I wish it to be me; that’s not my
wish. All I’m saying is for the program to go on and,
honestly, for the Philippines to regain its foothold in
Asian basketball.”
Noli
Eala, the RP delegation head here, threw his support at
Reyes.
“I think
it’s too unfair to make a decision on Chot based only on
Tokushima,” he said. “It’s also premature for the PBA to
already start discussing his tenure. I think we have
enough time to do that.”
“As far
as I’m concerned, the reasons for my recommendation of
the selection of Chot have all been proven correct,”
Eala added. “When we selected him, we looked at his
vision, his ability to motivate players and build
character and to coach internationally. Chot has been
able to accomplish those. There have been shortcomings,
but we cannot make that the basis of any kind of
evaluation at this point. We have to go through the
process.”
“Stated
otherwise, let’s not blame the coach,” Eala continued.
“I know he took the blame. But I told him, it is totally
unfair to put all the blame on you.”
Battle
cry: ‘Sweep
China’
THE
Philippines formally set up a final-day encounter with
China
after the Nationals defeated Kuwait, 89-58, Thursday at
the ASTY Gym.
Kelly
Williams, who sat out the India game Wednesday because
of a hurting hamstring, and Jimmy Alapag, who was also
in street clothes also against Kuwait because of a stiff
neck, saw action Thursday and are also expected to suit
up against the Chinese on Saturday. Only Mark Caguioa (hyperextended
shoulder) will be doubtful.
After
days of inactivity and licking the emotional gash of its
early ouster, Team Pilipinas goes back to practice
Friday with doubling up on China its only goal. The
RP-China game is set
11:15 a.m., also at the ASTY Gym.
“We’d
love to go after the Chinese again and try to beat them
again. We’re obviously not going to be 100 percent.
It’ll be a nice going-home present if we beat them,”
Reyes said.
“This
campaign has gone from a quest for Olympic glory to a
quest for respect,” he added. “And the way we play
against China is going to be part of that continuing
quest for respect.”
The
Philippines beat China , 79-74, the Nationals’ first win
against the Mainlanders in 22 years. |
