Meeting of minds

The coach can’t solve the problem, changing the players can’t solve the problem, or just developing a program and not looking at anything else can’t solve the problem

TAB Baldwin wants a meeting of minds to put Philippine basketball back on track. ROMAN PROSPERO

Changing head coach or players wouldn’t solve a massive problem like Gilas Pilipinas.

Tab Baldwin, the American-Kiwi mentor who once handled the men’s national basketball team, said the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) should scrap its entire program and consult its stakeholders to chart a complex solution that would regain its lost glory.

Gilas Pilipinas’ participation in the FIBA Basketball World Cup opened a can of worms.

After suffering 46-point embarrassment from Italy and 59-point humiliation from Serbia, the Filipinos played with bruised egos as they lost to Angola, Tunisia and Iran in their next three matches to wrap up their participation without a single win with an average losing margin of 29.4 points.

With that, there was clamor for head coach Yeng Guiao to step down and for naturalized player Andray Blatche to call it quits.

Even seasoned mentor Joe Lipa stressed that the country’s brilliant basketball minds should put their heads together and map out a program that would be at par with the rest of the world.

Lipa even cited the case of the Italians, who are taller and quicker than the Filipinos, but were able to become successful through ball movement and lightning-quick passes.

“We are shorter, but we dribble too much, put the ball inside and dribble again if thre are no shots available. That’s the irony of it. The difference with the Italians and other European countries is that they shoot with so much confidence,” said Lipa, the last coach to lead a local squad to an Asian Games gold medal.

The current Ateneo de Manila head coach said the only way to devise a solid basketball program is through collaboration and teamwork.

“The coach can’t solve the problem, changing the players can’t solve the problem, or just developing a program and not looking at anything else can’t solve the problem,” said Baldwin in a media report.

“I think that it is virtually scientific process and it’s inexact, so that’s contradictory in saying that. But there are people around that should be involved in the discussion and I think that everything has to be considered.”

“I think it is a very, very complex decision that should involve vested, high quality basketball minds in this country.”

The 61-year-old Baldwin knows that he’s talking of.

After coaching in countries like Malaysia, New Zealand, Lebanon and Jordan, Baldwin landed on the Philippines as consultant before assuming the coaching chore from Chot Reyes, leading the Nationals to a silver-medal finish in the FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Changsha, China in 2015.

But Reyes returned before being replaced by Guiao following an ugly brawl against Australia in the FIBA World Cup Olympic Qualifying Tournament last year.

Now that Guiao failed to deliver, fans are clamoring for his return, knowing that his experience would be very valuable in the international basketball arena.

But Baldwin said SBP should carefully study everything and not just listen to what the fans want.

“I don’t think decisions can be made based on what fans think. I think the fans have all the rights to say everything. I think that it’s part of being a fan is to enjoy the second-guessing, the banter, and all of that, but I don’t think SBP should be moved by what they say,” he said.

“I’m certainly not moved by what the fans say, and that’s no disrespect to the fans because they have every right. But I think these are extremely important decisions about a national team and I think that it should be a carefully measured process.”

He, however, stressed that he will gladly accept the role should his principal — SBP chairman emeritus Manny Pangilinan — taps him for another tour of duty.

“I’m prepared and MVP (Pangilinan) knows this, to put my shoulder to the mill and do whatever I can to help.”

Guiao, however, stressed that his job security is no longer on his hands.

“This is something that I will need to discuss with the bosses and coaching staff,” said Guiao following a 75-95 loss to Iran in their final match.

“If it’s not for me, I’m not going to hold onto the position and try to hang on to it. That will be resolved when I talk with the bosses.”